1,  tii\}fm^^r^^'^tniij*i^j;^n^f^^fnfnt.},. 


LIBRARY 

'of  the 

University  of  California, 

Mrs.  SARAH  P.  WALSWORTH. 

Received  October,  1894. 
<^ccessions  No,S^() 3$    .     Class  No, 


it 


^ 


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in  2007  with  funding  from 

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Y,^^1  THT.    -    ^ 


JiCjlcU^. 


AT  EVENTIDE. 


DISCOURSES 


BY 


NEHEMIAH   ADAMS  D.  D., 

II 

Senior  Pastor  of  Union    Church,    Boston. 


BOSTON: 
D.  LOTHROP  AND  COMPANY, 

FBANKLIK  ST.,  COENER  OF  HAWLEY. 


A^    OF   XILS 


Copyright  by 

D.  LOTHROP  &  CO. 

1877. 


THE    PAST    AND    PRESENT    MEMBERS 

OF  UNION  CHURCH,  BOSTON, 

AND   TO 

MY  BRETHREN  IN  THE  MINISTRY, 

THIS    VOLUME 
IS    AFFECTIONATELY    DEDICATED 

BV 

NEHEMIAH  ADAMS. 


'   0?  THE         >^ 

Itjhitbesitt; 


Introductory  Note. 


TuE  Publication  of  this  Volume  of  Ser- 
mons,   ALL    PREACHED    NEAR    THE    CLOSE    OF    AN 

ACTIVE     MINISTRY     OF     NEARLY    FIFTY     YEARS, IS 

ENTIRELY    DUE    TO    THE   FOLLOWING   KIND    AND    COM- 
PLIMENTARY  LETTERS: 


^(^   OF  THE         ^ 

[ufivbrsitt; 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


Charleston,  South  Carolina.  > 
January  22,  1874.      ) 

Rev.  Nehemiah  Adams  D.  D., 
Boston,  Mass. 

Dear  Sir  and  Brother  : 

The  undersigned,  Min- 
isters of  the  Gospel  and  Pastors  of  congregations 
in  this  city,  remember  with  sentiments  of  unfeigned 
gratitude  and  pleasure,  the  visit  you  paid  to  our 
city,  and  the  services  you  performed  in  our  several 
churches,  whilst  you  were  the  guest  of  your  hon- 
ored son,  our  esteemed  brother  in  Christ,  Rev. 
William  H.  Adams. 

The  frequent  allusions  to  the  pleasure  and  profit 
which  your  numerous  friends  derived  from  your 
ministrations  whilst  among  us,  have  suggested  the 
propriety  of  a  more  tangible  memorial  of  these  ser- 
vices than  our  unaided  memories  afford ;  hence  we 
have  concluded  to  ask  —  if  consistent  with  your 
iv 


COERESPONDENCE.  V 

views  —  for  the  publication  of  the  sermons  prea^^hed 
in  the  different  Churches,  and  in  the  Orphans' 
Chapel  of  this  city,  as  well  as  those  which  have 
been  prepared  for  several  occasions  when  the  de- 
livery of  them  was  prevented  by  Providential  inter- 
positions. 

In  addition  to  the  treasure  we  hope  to  possess  in 
having  your  labors  in  this  place  reduced  to  this 
permanent  form,  we  also  desire  on  our  part,  to  bear 
grateful  testimony  to  your  eminent  services  for  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 

Fof  the  space  of  half  a  century  your  voice  and 
pen  have  been  most  industriously  employed  in  de- 
fence of  "the  faith  once  delivered  unto  the  saints," 
and  in  your  hands  the  Gospel  trumpet  has  never 
given  an  uncertain  sound. 

We  would  therefore  feel  honored  in  having  our 
churches  and  ourselves  connected,  however  re- 
motely, with  the  liistory  of  a  servant  of  Christ  so 
justly  distinguished  as  yourself. 

******** 

In  making  this  request,  we  would  also  cherish  the 
hope  that  the  publication  of  a  book  written  by  a 
Boston  Divine,  and  its  publication  solicited  by 
Charleston  Ministers,  may  tend  to  the  promotion  of 
that  "i^eace  on  earth  and  good  will  toward  men," 
which  is  such  a  cardinal  element  in  our  holy  reli- 
gion, and  such  an  important  desideratum  in  our  com- 
mon country. 

With  prayers  for  your  continued  health  and  use- 


VI 


COEEESPONDENCE. 


fulness,  and  with  considerations  of  highest  respect 
and  esteem, 

We  remain. 

Yours  in  the  Gospel, 

TTT    c    -r»/-iTTnvT  A  XT         f  Pastor  of  the  Wentworth 
W.  S.  BOWMAN,       I      g^    Lutheran  Church. 

-r   T    /-.T-r.  A-o-i^-ni  ATT     (  Pastor  of   Zion   Presbyte- 
J.  L.  GIRARDEAU,  |     ,.;^„  chuich,  Glebe  St. 

C.  S.  VEDDER,  {P'^^'°'-  "^church^"®""""* 

(      Pastor  of   the  Citadel 
(  Square   Baptist   Church.  , 

(  Pastor  of  the  Second  Pres- 
(  byterian  Church. 


J.  A.  CriAMBLISS, 
G.  R  BKACKETT, 


T?TrTT'r>-n  ^MAT^T     iP''^stor  of   the   Spring  St. 
RICHDD.  bMAKl,    ^       M.  E.  Church,  South. 


J.  T.  WIGHTMAX, 
W.  C.  DANA, 
T.  W.  DOSH, 
L.  H.  SHUCK, 


X 

(Pastor  of    the  Bethel  M. 
I         E.  Church,  South. 

(  Pastor  of  the  Central  Pres- 
(    ,      byterian  Church. 

(  Pastor  of  St.  John's  Evan- 
(   gelical  Lutheran  Church. 

(  Pastor  of  the  First  Baptist 
\  Church. 


REPLY. 


Boston,  February  3,  1874. 

To  the  Rev.  W.  S.  Bowman  ayid  others^  Pastors  of 
EvangelicaZ  Churches  in  Charleston,  S.  C, 

Deak  Brethren  : 

Your  letter  of  January  22,  was  read  by 
me  with  a  truly  grateful  heart.  Your  names,  each 
of  them,  are  associated  with  pleasurable  recollec- 
tions of  personal  intercourse  which  can  never  fade 
from  my  memory,  and  your  references  to  niiy  visit 
among  you  last  year  will  be  a  constant  source  of 
pleasure.  The  request  which  you  so  kindly  make 
for  the  Sermons  which  I  23reached  to  your  congre- 
gations shall  be  considered.  Meanwhile  accept  the 
assurance  of  my  wai*mest  affection,  with  prayers  for 
your  continued  prosperity. 
Most  truly, 

Your  friend  and  brother  in  Christ, 

N.  ADAMS, 
vii 


Viii  EEtLY. 

Letter  from  the  Rev.  Prop.  Phelps  of  Andover 
Theological  ^Seminary. 

Andover,  Mass.,  February  7,  1876. 

N.  Adams,  D.  D.  : 
Dear  brother, 

I  am  not  sure  that  this  letter  is 
not  a  "  twice  told  tale,"  —  the  object  of  it  has  been 
so  often  in  my  mind.  I  have  read  to-day,  for  my 
own  comfort  one  of  your  own  sermons  in  the  vol- 
ume "  Christ  a  Friend,"  and  it  suggests  to  me  as 
your  books  have  done  a  hundred  times  before,  the 
query  whether  you  have  not  among  your  manuscrij^t 
sermons,  many  which  if  published,  would  be  an  ad- 
dition to  our  homilitic  literature.  I  have  for  many 
years  recommended  your  sermons  to  my  classes  as 
illustrating  a  department  of  that  literature  which 
few  sermons  in  the  language  illustrate  as  well.  I 
have  only  wished  that  we  had  more  of  them  in  print. 
And  now  that  the  Biblical  element  in  preaching  is 
receiving  increased  attention,  I  am  confident  that  a 
fresh  volume  of  sermons  from  you  would  fall  in 
with  that  reform  in  the  pulpit,  and  be  well  received. 
I  tell  my  pupils  "Do  this,  do  that,  with  your 
texts,  preach  thus  and  talk  so,  in  your  discourses;" 
and  over  and  over  again  they  ask  me,  "  Who  does 
it?  Can  you  point  us  to  the  preacher  who  i)reaches 
so  ?  "  I  often  direct  them  to  your  two  volumes  of 
Sermons  and  wish  they  were  twenty.  Will  you  not 
look  over  your  silent  drawers  of  manuscript,  and 


REPLY.  IX 

see  if  there  is  not  something  there  which  the  Cliurch 
of  Christ  wants  ?    Hoping  th<at  the  years  are  deal- 
ing more  lightly  with  you  than  they  are  with  mei, 
I  remain  as  ever, 

Yours  Fraternally, 

AUSTIN  PHELPS. 


[tjhjtbksitt; 


CONTENTS 


SERMON.  PAGE. 

I.     The  Offers  of  the  Gospel.     .         13 
II.     Have  we  Permission  to  Love  God  ?  32 

III.  Paul's  Estimate  of  Himself  Be- 

fore AND  After  Conversion.     50 

IV.  God  Our  Dwelling,  and  in  Our 

Dwelling 71 

V.     The  Jew  and  the  Roman  Watch- 
ing THE  Sepulchre.     .        .        8y 

VI.     The  Man  at  the  Wheel.        .       106 

VII.     The  Brief   Mention   of  Astron- 
omy IN  Genesis.     .         .        .       118 

VIII.     Emulation  in  Heaven  among  the 

Redeemed 136 

xi 


Xll  CONTENTS. 

IX.     The    Counsel    of.Elihu  to  the 

Despondent.  .         .         .158 

X.     ''Thou    art    the    Guide    of    My 

Youth."       .  .         .         .         .       178 

XL     The    Doctrine    of    Gerizim    and 

Ebal.      .....       194 

XII.     On  Loving  the  Unseen  Redeemer.  2 1 3 

XIII.  On    Passing   by    Angels    to    Re- 

deem Men.     ....       226 

XIV.  The   Broken  in   Heart  Healed  ; 

The    Stars     Numbered     and 
Named 245 

XV.     The  Removal  of  Israel's  Cloud 

TO  the  Rear.        .         .         .       262 


AT    EVENTIDE 


TEE  OFFEBS  OF  TEE  GOSPEL. 

"  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no 
money :  come  ye,  buy  and  eat ;  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money, 
and  without  price."  —  Isa.  55  :  i. 

WE  have  here  a  man  who  wishes  to  dispose 
of  something  which  he  calls  on  people  to 
buy.  He  is  a  minister  of  religion.  He  is  like 
all  true  ministers  of  religion  every  where.  They 
offei'  the  same  things,  urge  the  same  motives, 
and  announce  the  same  conditions  of  sale  with 
Isaiah,  who  from  ancient  time  has  been  called 
the  evangelical  prophet,  because  he  dwelt  so 
much  on  Christ  and  his  times. 

Whenever  such  a  minister  enters  the  pulpit,  if 
his  heart  is  right,  this  is  his  purpose,  to  offer  the 
same  things  once  more  tg  men.     We  are  here 

(13) 


14  THE   OFFEKS   OF   THE  GOSPEL. 

professedly  for  this  purpose,  to  offer  you  some- 
thiug.  We  shall  speak,  God  helping  us,  hoping 
and  expecting  to  succeed  in  persuading  you  to  re- 
ceive at  our  hands  that  which  we  come  to  offer. 

Let  me  preface  what  I  have  to  say  concerning 
our  object  in  appearing  here  from  time  to  time, 
that  every  thing  which  you  buy  of  us  is  war- 
ranted to  be  genuine  and  perfect.  It  has  a 
government  stamp  upon  it.  The  purchaser  is 
perfectly  assured  against  counterfeits.  On 
every  thing  sold  you  will  find  engraved,  for  ex- 
ample, '•  This  is  the  true  bread  which  cometh 
down  from  heaven."  "  That  is  the  true  light." 
"  Not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of 
the  will  of  man,  but  of  God."  Moreover  it  has 
a  divine  seal,  the  seal  of  the  Holy'Spirit,  called, 
"  The  earnest  of  the  inheritance,"  signifying,  as 
this  subjoined  phrase  expresses  it,  "  the  pledge  of 
the  purchased  possession,"  or  warrant  of  some- 
thing laid  up  for  us  in  heaven. 

We  call  your  attention  especially  to  this  seal 
on  every  thing  which  we  offer,  and  which  is  con- 
veyed to  every  one  who  buys  of  us ;  namelj^,  he 
has  in  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  the  pledge  of 
something  laid  up  for  him  in  heaven  ;  that  is, 
certain  feelings,  joys,  hopes,  are  imparted  to  him 
under  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  which 
are  an  advance  payment  of  the  heavenly  inheri- 
tance.    Under  those  influences  one  ma}^  say,  "  I 


THE  OFFERS  OF  THE  GOSPEL.       15 

know  and  am  persuaded  of  the  Lord  Jesus  that, 
feeling  thus,  I  have  a  witness  in  my  heart  that  I 
am  born  of  God."  This  is  the  fruit  of  the  Holy- 
Spirit  ;  his  seal.  So  that  accepting  these  offers, 
every  thing  which  you  buy  of  us  is  not  only  war- 
ranted ;  it  is  guaranteed ;  that  is,  not  only  is  it 
perfect ;  it  is  sure. 

In  the  name  and  by  the  authority  of  the  Most 
High  God  we  give,  release,  assign,  and  covenant 
with  you  to  maintain,  protect,  defend,  and  guar- 
antee your  title  against  all  adverse  claims  forever. 
This  we  do  in  the  name  and  by  tlie  authority  of 
God.  This  is  assured  to  us  and  to  you  in  these 
words  of  the  Saviour:  "And  no  man  shall  pluck 
them  out  of  my  hands."  "  Their  inheritance 
shall  be  forever."  "  Your  joy  no  man  taketh 
from  you."  "  And  my  people  shall  long  enjoy 
the  work  of  their  hands."  "  He  that  toucheth 
you,  toucheth  the  apple  of  his  eye."  "  The  Al- 
mighty shall  be  thy  defence." 

The  security,  you  perceive,  is  perfect ;  "  As 
the  mountains  are  round  about  Jerusalem,  so  is 
the  Lord  round  about  liis  people  from  this  time 
forth  even  forever."  Indeed  it  is  more  perma- 
nent than  the  earth.  "  For  the  mountains  shall 
depait,  and  the  hills  be  removed,  but  my  kind- 
ness shall  not  depart  from  thee,  neither  shall  the 
covenant  of  my  peace  be  removed,*  saith  the 
Lord  that  hath  mercy  on  thee." 


16  THE  OFl^ERS   OF   THE  GOSPEL. 

Some  people  wiio  have  bouglit  tlie  same  things 
which  we  now  offer  you,  have  already  held  them 
for  five  thousand  and  six  thousand  3^ears.  Abra- 
ham invested  largely  in  them  ;  his  possession 
has  increased,  literally,  as  God  promised  him  it 
should,  as  the  stars  of  heaven,  and  as  the  sands 
of  the  sea  shore.  And  he  is  the  divinely  ap- 
pointed representative  of  all  who  have  faith  in 
these  things  ;  "  for  he  is  the  father  of  all  them 
that  believe." 

The  terms  and  conditions  of  sale  in  all  cases 
are,  payment  on  delivery.  Any  thing  of  a  prom- 
issor}^  kind  is  not  received. 

You  will  wish  to  know  how  payments  are  to 
be  made.  I  answer,  "  Without  money  and  with- 
out price." 

This,  singular  as  we  must  all  acknowledge  it 
to  be,  is  greatly  objected  to  as  exorbitant ;  it  is 
jnost  unpopular;  it  hinders  our  success.  But 
God  has  so  ordained  it. 

We  have  been  offered  all  kinds  of  payment  as 
substitutes  for  this.  Our  j)urchasers  are  at  first 
extremely  loth  to  buy  "  without  money  and 
without  price."  We  could  have  sold  every  thing 
had  we  been  willing  to  take  payment  in  differ- 
ent kinds  of  commodities. 

Some  have  offered  moralit}^,  pure  and  good,  as 
they  called  ic ;  though  we  liave  an  assayer  who 
"sits  as  a  refiner  of  silver,"  and  he  says  it  is 


THE  OFFEKS  OF  THE  GOSPEL.       17 

dross,  as  to  any  commercial  value,  if  it  be  with- 
out the  addilioD  of  that  which  he  counsels  all  to 
buy  of  him. 

We  have  been  offered  tears  of  repentance,  his- 
torical faith,  respect  for  religion,  prayers  twice  a 
day,  church  going  twice  or  three  times  a  Sab- 
bath,, and  much  during  the  week,  almsgiving, 
visiting  the  sick,  conviction  of  sin,  fear  of  death 
and  hell,  abstinence  from  swearing  and  lying  and 
all  vice  ;  in  short,  every  thing  on  earth,  including 
bodily  torture  and  martyrdom  ;  but  not  one  of 
our  treasures  was  ever  sold  in  a  single  instance 
for  one  of  these  things.  If  ixny  one  pretends  to 
have  sold  them  for  such  things,  Christ  says  of 
him,  "  the  same  is  a  thief  and  a  robber."  Our 
pearl  of  great  price  can  be  had  only  at  great 
cost;  viz:  "without  money  and  without  price." 
Tlicre  are  no  other  things  on  earth  sold  at  such 
a  rate  as  these.  You  all  know  what  this  means. 
If  one  present  says  he  does  not  know  and  wishes 
me  to  explain  it,  I  must  decline,  for  it  would  be  a 
reflection  of  your  understanding  to  explain  it. 
You  have  all  attended  these  sales  for  years,  and 
you  understand  that  this  is  tliat  which  we  always 
get  for  our  payment.  And  many  of  3^ou  know 
that  these  terms  are  the  reason  that  you  have 
not  made  the  purchase.  Every  one  else  who  has 
any  thing  to  sell  looks  lor  people  who  have 
money. 


18       THE  OFFERS  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

But  our  purchasers  are  in  every  case  those 
who  "  have  no  money."  If  you  have  money  you 
will  not  buy  of  us  to-day.  "  Every  one  that 
thirsteth  "  for  these  things,  and  "  he  that  hath  no 
money,"  are  purchasers  ;  "  all  others  are  merely 
idle,  curious  spectators.  We  are  aware  that  ours 
are  extremely  costly,  difficult  terms,  hard  to 
meet.  But  we  hope  to  persuade  you  that  you 
will  be  gainers  by  the  trade. 

The  first  tiling^  tJien,  which  we  have  to  offer  is, 
Eteknal  Life. 

Are  there  any  here  who  wish  for  Eternal 
Life? 

I  hear  some  one  ask  if  Eternal  Life  means  liv- 
ing forever  ?  No.  That  might  be  the  greatest 
curse.  It  will  be  the  greatest  curse  to  many. 
Some  who  have  been  deceived  in  this  thing  are 
now  weeping  and  wailing.  They  now  seek  to 
be  rid  of  that  which  was  once  falsely  represented 
to  them  as  eternal  life.  Could  they  but  get  rid 
of  it,  annihilation  would  be  gladly  received  in 
exchange.  When  it  is  evening  they  sa}^,  would 
God  it  were  morning  ;  and  when  it  is  morning 
they  sVbj,  would  God  it  were  evening. 

The  eternal  life  which  we  offer  you  is  in  the 
soul.  Life  is  not  merely  time  ;  it  is  a  principle 
in  our  nature ;  and  when  that  nature  is  in 
health}^  exeicise  you  know  that  every  thing  goes 


THE  OFFEES  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  19 

well.  Eternal  life  is  order,  law,  happiness,  right- 
eousness, prosperity,  bliss  ;  and  that  forever  and 
ever.  Have  you  ever  considered  what  forever 
is  ?  The  longest  journey  on  earth  has  an  end. 
You  get  upon  the  summit  at  last  and  say,  "  Now 
we  are  at  the  top  ;  soon  we  shall  begin  to  de- 
scend.'' But  there  is  no  summit  to  "  forever." 
No  Chimborazo,  or  Himalaya  towering  above 
every  thing  else.  Onward  and  upward  forever 
is  eternal  life.  'It  is  the  best  thing  which  God 
ever  made.  God's  greatest  gift  is  thus  ex- 
pressed :  "  And  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life." 
It  is  even  coupled  with  the  name  of  God :  "  This 
is  the  true  God  and  eternal  life." 

But  any  man  can  sell  you  any  thing,  and  faster, 
than  we  can  succeed  in  selling  you  this  greatest 
of  blessings. 

II.      I  WILL  OFFER  YOU  A  THEONE. 

But  what  authority  have  I  to  sell  thrones  ? 

Here  is  my  warrant :  '^  He  that  hath  an  ear, 
let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the 
churches : "  "  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I 
grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne,  even  as  I  also 
overcame  and  am  set  down  with  my  Father  in 
his  throne." 

One  inquires.  But  how  may  you  know  that 
such  things  are  to  be  obtained  if  we  buy 
them  ? 


UFI7ERSIT7 


20  THE   OFFEKS   OF   THE  GOSPEL. 

Plere  is  the  assurance  from  tlie  evangelist  John 
who  enjoj^ed  a  sight  of  heaven  :  "  And  I  saw 
thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them,  and  judgment 
was  given  unto  them." 

He  who  offers  these  thrones,  makes  them.  In- 
deed He,  only,  makes  thrones :  "  For  by  him  were 
all  things  created,  that  are  in  heaven  and  that 
are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether  they 
be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or  principalities,  or 
powers." 

He  disposes  of  twelve  of  them  at  once :  "  Ye 
which  have  followed  me,  in  the  regeneration 
when  the  Son  of  Man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  ye 
also  shall  sit  upon  twelve  thrones,  judging  the 
twelve  tribes  of  Israel." 

What  does  the  throne  which  we  are  promising, 
govern  ? 

Some  who  have  now  obtained  these  thrones 
have  told  us  in  the  inspired  language  of 
prophecy,  what  for  substance  is  meant  by  the 
promise,  "And  hath  made  us  unto  our  God 
kings  and  priests ;  and  we  shall  reign  on  the 
earth." 

It  might  be  injurious  for  us  at  present  to  know 
what  this  literally  means.  It  is  sufficient  to 
know  that  our  future  elevation  can  be  expressed 
only  by  saying  that  we  shall  be  priests  of  God 
and  of  Christ,  and  shall  reign  with  him  a  thou- 
sand years.     Am  I  trifling,  using  words  with- 


THE  OFFEES  OF  THE  GOSPEL.       21 

out  knowledge?     I  use    the  words  of  God.     I 
will  vary  my  offers. 

III.      I  WILL  OFFEE  YOTJ  A  CEOWN. 

There  is  something  more  obviously  possessive 
in  a  crown  than  in  a  throne''.  I  offer  you  a 
crown  ;  and  here  you  will  at  once  agree  that  I 
am  safe.  "Be  thou  faithful  unto  death  and  I 
will  give  thee  a  crown' of  life." 

Paul  had  obtained  one  of  these  crowns ; 
"  which,"  he  says, "  the  Lord,  the  righteous  Judge 
shall  give  me  at  that  day  ;  and  not  to  me  onh^, 
but  unto  all  them  also  that  love  his  appearing." 

Paul  was  glad  not  to  be  peculiar  in  his  crown. 
People  of  good  sense  do  not  love  to  be  peculiar 
in  that  which  they  wear.  Paul  beautifully 
shows  his  modesty,  his  humility,  in  this. 

There  is  one  thing  to  be  said  about  the  crown 
which  you  may  obtain  :  It  is  capable,  while  we 
are  in  this  world,  of  being  greatly  enhanced  in 
value  and  beauty.  Bring  your  jewels,  and  the 
Maker  will  set  them  for  you.  Paul's  crown  will 
be  remarkable  for  this,  the  jewels  which  he 
obtained  to  be  set  in  it. 

There  are  crowns  for  all,  —  for  all  them  that 
love  his  appearing. 

**  Think  of  the  crowns  which  the  ransomed  shall  wear," 
and  obtain  each  of  you  one  of  them.     Again : 


22  THE  OFFERS   OF   THE  GOSPEL. 

IV.  Will  you  have  a  haep  ? 

Those  who  love  music  and  frequent  the  music 
halls  surely  will  be  attracted  by  this. 

The  great  company  of  heaven  are  represented 
as  "  having  every  one  of  them  harps."  Will  you 
spend  your  existence  in  praise  ?  We  are  always 
happy  when  we  are  praising,  if  our  hearts  are 
in  it. 

We  read  of  the  harps  of  God.  Will  you  have 
one  ?  Will  you  praise  forever  ?  "  No  more  sor- 
row, nor  crying,  neither  shall  there  be  any  more 
death."  Will  you  join  the  song  of  redemption 
for  eternity?  "  No  man  can  learn  that  song  but. 
they  which  are  redeemed  from  among  men." 
There  is  a  harp  for  you ;  but  I  pray  you  re- 
member this :  It  will  not  be  hung  up  draped,  if 
you  do  not  take  it.  Some  one  else  will  take  it. 
You  niight  chance  to  hear  it  as  you  pass  by  and 
forever  pass  away,  and  think,  how  wonderful ! 
surpassing  the  instruments  of  earth.  You 
would  be  told,  that  harp  was  destined  once  for 

you. 

Secure  it  while  it  is  called  to-day ! 

V.  Again,  strange  to  say  I  can  put  you  in 
possession  of  some  thing  more.  You  will  hesi- 
tate to  credit  me  when  1  tell  you 

1  hereby  offek  you  every  thing. 

For  only  listen  to  these  words  of  God  ;  "  He 


THE  OFFERS  OF  THE  GOSPEL.       23 

that  overcometli  shall  inherit  all  things,  and  I 
will  be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be  my  son." 

There  is  one  word  used  in  the  BiLle  to  express 
the  idea  of  ^'  all  things  "  which  are  promised  to 
every  one  who  will  accept  them.  That  word  is, 
Salvation. 

On  this  gift  of  salvation  are  inscribed  such 
words  as  these :  *'  He  shall  not  be  hurt  of  the 
second  death."  "  They  shall  never  perish, 
neither  shall  any  man  pluck  them  out  of  my 
hand."  "And  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last 
day."  "  Come  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit 
the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world." 

One  peculiarity  of  it  is,  the  author  of  it  at- 
tends personally  and  bestows  it.  Hence  He  is 
called  by  the  name  of  Salvation :  "  The  God  of 
salvation."  Salvation  is  ascribed  to  him  as  pe- 
culiarly his  work :  "  Salvation  is  of  the  Lord." 
He  is  personally  present  whenever  there  is  need 
of  it,  under  all  circumstances :  "  Call  u^on  me 
in  the  day  of  trouble.  I  will  deliver  thee  and 
thou  shalt  glorify  me." 

Thus  we  ministers  of  the  Gospel  professedly 
spend  our  lives,  you  providing  for  our  temporal 
sustenance,  and  we  repeating  the  invitation : 
"  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the 
waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money ;  come  ye, 
buy  and  eat,  yea  tjome,  buy  wine  and  milk  with- 


24  THE  OFFEES   OF   THE  GOSPEL. 

out  money  and  without  price."  I  say,  this  is 
professedly  o^r  employment.  Sometimes,  per- 
haps, yielding  to  temptation,  we  may  feel  that 
this  is  too  monotonous,  tame,  not  sufficiently  in- 
tellectual ;  so  we  are  led  "  to  please  men  "  and 
to  come  to  you  with  excellency  of  speech  and  of 
man's  wisdom,  seeking  to  gain  popular  applause, 
yielding  to  the  plea  that  men  must  be  pleased  in 
order  to  be  won.  It  is  interesting  to  notice  that 
the  apostle  who  disclaimed  human  eloquence  and 
the  art  of  rhetoric,  was  without  any  attempt  in 
those  directions,  the  most  finished  model  of  hu- 
man persuasion  among  all  writers,  his  epistles 
being  masterpieces  of  art ;  while  you  nowhere 
discover  in  them  any  striving  after  scholastic 
skill.  He  carries  out  in  his  writings  that  which 
he  says  w5,s  his  aim  in  preaching  at  Corinth, 
"  the  eye  of  Greece,"  as  it  was  called ;  the  resort 
of  the  skilled  professors  of  every  branch  of  schol- 
arly attainment.  Horace  says,  "  It  does  not  fall 
to  every  man  to  go  to  Corinth."  "  I  am  deter- 
mined," Paul  says,  "  not  to  know  any  thing  among 
you  save  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified."  So 
we  preach,  God  helping  us,  whether  men  will 
hear  or  whether  they  will  forbear.  We  have 
nothing  to  do  but  offer  you  the  things  which  I 
I  have  enumerated.  We  might  make  lyceums 
of  our  places  of  worship,  entertain  you  with 
science,  literature,  political  disquisitions ;  but  we 


THE  OFFERS  OF  THE  GOSPEL.       25 

have  no  commission  so  to  do ;  we  are  not  in- 
structed to  lecture  you  on  subjects  of  such  tem- 
poral, fleeting  interest  as  the  news,  and  politics, 
or  questions  of  the  exchange  and  the  street.  Yet 
in  our  humble  vocation  we  are  not  forbidden  to 
be  as  eloquent  as  Isaiah,  as  consummate  masters 
of  rhetoric  as  Paul,  as  wise  as  Ecclesiastes,  as 
philosophical  as  the  Evangelist  John.  But  all 
the  time  we  must  make  you  feel  that  we  are  of- 
fering you  eternal  life,  a  throne  in  heaven,  a 
crown  in  heaven,  and  every  thing  else  which 
God  has  to  bestow,  under  the  title  of  salvation. 

This  we  shall  continue  to  do,  though  often- 
times we  are  compelled  to  cry,  "  who  hath  be- 
lieved our  report,  and  to  whom  is  the  arm  of 
the  Lord  revealed  ?  "  We  must  often  point  out 
the  consequences  of  neglecting  this  great  salva- 
tion, show  you  the  desperate  wickedness  of  your 
hearts,  the  fatal  consequences  of  your  unbelief, 
and  not  spare  to  repeat  the  inspired  representa- 
tion of  eternal  damnation,  with  tribulation  and 
wrath,  indignation  and  anguish,  on  every  soul 
that  doeth  evil.  We  must  all  the  time  be  warn- 
ing you  that  the  time  is  short;  that  the  shadows 
are  lengthening;  that  you  know  not  what  a  day 
may  bring  forth. 

For,  some  of  you,  moved  by  our  urgency  in 
pressing  upon  you  these  offers,  say  to  us  in  your 
hearts,  "  Perhaps  I  Avill  take  your  offers  to-mor- 


26  THE   OFFEES  OF   THE  GOSPEL. 

row."  Dear  friend,  perhaps  you  may  not  be  in 
a  situation  to  buy  of  us  to-morrow.  So  long  as 
you  have  not  accepted  our  offers  of  a  Saviour, 
you  are  living  under  condemnation  ;  there  may 
be  put  a  step  between  you  and  death,  of  which 
we  have  illustrations  evefy  week.  It  is  most 
wonderful  that  while  God  might  do  nothing  in 
addressing  us  but  warn,  and  threaten,  he  pleads, 
he  solicits  ;  and  the  great  apostle  to  the  Gentiles 
uses  this  language  :  "  As  though  God  did  be- 
seech you  by  us,  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead, 
be  ye  reconciled  to  God."  While  doing  this, 
the  effect  of  which  oftentimes  is  to  lull,  and 
soothe,  he  is  speaking  to  those  who  have  long 
since  forfeited  all  claim  on  divine  forbearance ; 
so  that  should  the  Most  High  whet  his  glitter- 
ing sword  and  cut  us  off,  should  he,  as  the 
Great  Husbandman,  say  of  us,  "  Cut  it  down, 
w^hy  cumbereth  it  the  ground,"  there  is  no  rea- 
son why  the  intercessor  should  plead :  "  Lord, 
let  it  alone  this  year  also  ;  "  for  he  did  so  last 
year,  and  the  year  before  that,  and  five  years 
ago,  nay  ten,  and  with  some  of  you  twenty, 
thirty,  and  with  one  and  another  even  more. 
How  can  you,  then,  promise  that  you  will  to- 
morrow, perhaps,  accept  our  offers,  when  you 
may  not  hear  these  offers  again  !  You  may  be 
imprisoned  to-morrow  for  eternity.  This  call 
you  may   have   occasion   to  reflect   upon  with 


THE  OFFEES  OF  THE  GOSPEL.       27 

never  ceasing  regret,  saying,  "  How  have  I  hated 
instruction  and  despised  reproof." 

Some  of  you  do  not  feel  any  need  of  these 
things.  What  can  we  do  ?  We  cannot  create 
your  taste.  All  that  we  can  say  further  of  the 
things  offered  is,  Here  they  are,  full  and  free  ;  all 
things  are  read}^  Ho,  every  one  that  thirst- 
eth,  come  ;  and  he  that  liath  no  money,  come. 

Some  of  you,  I  repeat  it,  dislike  our  terms : 
"  Without  jnoney  and  without  price."  You  say, 
These  are  a  poor  man's  terms,  a  beggar's  terms. 
You  say,  again.  Those  who  are  invited  to  buy  are 
those  who  are  without  money. 

Never  was  there  a  poor  man,  not  even  a  beg- 
gar, so  utterly  poor  and  beggared  as  you  and  I 
are  in  consequence  of  sin.  "  All  we  like  sheep 
have  gone  astray  ;  we  have  turned  every  one  to 
his  own  way  ;  and  the  Lord  hath  laid  on  Him 
the  iniquity  of  us  all,"  But  ''  Christ  is  the  end 
of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that 
believeth."  Believing  in  his  sufferings  and 
death  for  you,  will  be  the  same  as  if  you  had 
kept  the  law  of  God  as  the  angels  have.  The 
reason  why  heaven  and  salvation  are  "  without 
money  and  without  price  "  is,  "  Christ  died  for 
us."  We  once  had  a  price  to  pay  ;  fallen  angels 
are  paying  it  now  for  themselves,  and  will  be 
paying  it  forever  ;  which  will  be  true  of  us  if  we 
do  not  accept  the  offer  made  by  the  Gospel : 


28       THE  OFFERS  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 

"  He  that  believeth  on  tlie  Sou  hatli  everlasting 
life;"  the  consequence  of  neglecting  to  do  so 
being  thus  expressed :  "  And  he  that  believeth 
not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of 
God  abideth  on  him." 

"  And  was  the  ransom  paid  ?     It  was,  and  paid 
(What  can  exalt  its  bounty  more  ?)  for  thee." 

Therefore  it  is  without  money  and  without 
price  to  us,  because  Christ,  the  God-man,  tasted 
death  for  every  man.  Hear  the  Gospel  in  these 
few  words :  "  Believe  and  thou  shalt  be  saved." 

But  if  you  think  these  terms  are  such  as  any 
one  can  easily  meet,  let  me  assure  you  they  will 
seemingly  cost  you  all  which  you  have  and  are. 
One  mail  went  and  sold  all  that  he  had  and  in- 
vested it  in  a  pearl  of  great  price  which  he  hap- 
pened to  meet  with ;  and  Christ  compares  all 
who  buy  these  things  which  we  offer  you,  to 
such  a  man.  A  young  man  who  came  to  buy 
and  had  great  possessions  was  told  by  the  Sa- 
viour, *'  Go  thy  way,  sell  all  that  thou  hast  and 
give  to  the  poor,  and  thou  shalfc  have  treasure  in 
heaven,  and  come  and  follow  me."  The  terms, 
he  also  felt,  were  very  hard ;  only  heaven  for- 
ever for  his  gold !  He  went  away  sorrowful. 
What  would  he  give  to  have  the  same  offer  made 
to  him  to-day  I  He  might  have  been  an  apostle. 
He  might  have  written  one  of  the  Gospels.     He 


THE  OFFEES  OF  THE  GOSPEL.       29 

might  have  been  survejdng  myriads  brought 
home  to  God  by  his  words.  Where  now  are  his 
great  possessions?  Where  are  they?  Ask,  where 
are  the  snows  of  that  winter  ?  And  where  is 
he  ?  He  is  somewhere  to-day  ;  and  we  shall  be 
"somewhere  "  when  we  die. 

I  am  not  sure  that  I  shall  succeed  in  disposing 
of  one  of  these  things  to  you.  Must  I  return 
and  say,  "  Here,  Lord,  are  thy  thrones,  and 
crowns,  and  harps,  eternal  life  and  salvation." 
Another  lost  opportunity  !  "  Who  has  believed 
our  report  ?  " 

And  why  do  I  not  succeed  ?  The  principal 
reason  is,  the  terms  are,  "  Without  money  and 
without  price  I " 

Again  ;  I  am  tempted  to  make  you  one  more 
offer : 

VI.     Take  one  of  these  things  and  you 

SHALL   HAVE  THE  WHOLE. 

For  instance,  if  you  will  have  a  harp  3^ou 
shall  have  a  crown  and  throne.  If  you  will  love 
God  and  say  as  David  did,  "  My  mouth  shall 
speak  the  praise  of  the  Lord,  and  let  all  flesh 
bless  his  holy  name  forever  and  ever,"  you  shall 
have  salvation  and  all  things ;  but  on  the  same 
inexorable  terms,  viz:  "Without  money  and 
without  price."  We  cannot  abate  one  iota  from 
these  terms. 


30  THE  OFFERS   OF   THE  GOSPEL. 

These  thrones  will  one  day  all  be  set,  these 
crowns  be  all  put  on,  these  harps  be  in  hand, 
salvation  will  be  complete,  eternal  life  will  be 
extending  its  reign  over  the  full  number  of  the 
redeemed.  Listening,  we  perhaps  shall  hear 
your  voice,  you  standing  without  and  saying, 
"  Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us."  Ah,  there  is  a  great 
multitude  then  without,  wishing  to  buy.  As  we 
listen  we  hear  them  crying  out  in  words  like 
these  :  "  How  have  we  hated  instruction  and 
despised  reproof !  The  harvest  is  passed,  the 
summer  is  ended,  and  we  are  not  saved."  Then 
the  voices  fall  to  expostulation :  "  Will  the 
Lord  cast  off  forever  ?  and  will  he  be  favorable 
no  more  ?  Is  his  mercy  clean  gone  forever^^ 
Doth  his  promise  fail  forevermore  ?  Hath  God 
forgotten  to  be  gracious  ?  Hath  he  in  his  anger 
shut  up  his  tender  mercies  ?  "  The  song  within 
proceeds ;  the  harpers  liarp  upon  their  harps ; 
the  multitude  which  no  man  can  number,  bow 
like  a  field  of  ripe  grain  with  the  wind  passing 
over  it ;  crowns  unnumbered  are  cast  at  the 
feet  of  Immanuel  ;  every  throne  is  filled ;  but 
where  are  you,  who  cares  for  you,  who  even 
thinks  of  you  ?  The  Registries  of  Deeds  are 
burned  up,  gold  and  silver  are  melted,  houses 
and  lands,  the  earth  and  all  that  is  therein 
are  in  ashes ;  voices  are  heard  lamenting ; 
O,  that   they  were  wise,  that  they  understood 


THE  OFFEES   OF  THE  GOSPEL.  31 

this,  that  they  had  considered  their  latter 
end  ! 

I  have  reserved  one  piece  of  information  for 
this  moment.     It  is  this  : 

VII.    If  you  feel  incompetent  to  buy 

THESE  THINGS,  THE  PROPRIETOR  OF  THEM,  IF 
YOU  SINCERELY  DESIRE  IT,  WILL  FURNISH  YOU 
WITH  THE  DISPOSITION. 

He  is  able  and  willing.  Only  signify  to  him 
your  sinful  inability,  your  indisposition,  to  re- 
ceive eternal  life,  the  crowns,  the  thrones,  the 
harps  of  heaven  without  money  and  without 
price,  and  sincerely  beg  of  him  to  give  you  a 
heart  to  make  the  purchase  on  his  terms,  and  he 
v/ill  do  it. 

Now  what  can  I  say  more  ?  He  who  sent  me 
speaks ;  let  man  be  silent ;  "  Wherefore  do  ye 
spend  money  for  that  which  is  not  bread,  and 
3-our  labor  for  that  which  satisfieth  not  ?  hearken 
diligently  unto  me  and  eat  ye  that  which  is 
good,  and  let  your  soul  delight  itself  in  fatness. 
Incline  your  ear  and  come  unto  me,  hear  and 
your  soul  shall  live,  and  I  will  make  an  ever- 
lasting covenant  with  you,  even  the  sure  mercies 
of  David." 


'UFIVBRSITr 


11. 

HAVU    WE   PERMISSIOJSr   TO   LOVE 

aoD? 

"  I  will  love  thee,-0  Lord,  my  strength."— Ps.  i8:  i. 

IT  will  awaken  surprise  in  you  to  hear  this 
question,  yet  it  cannot  exceed  mine  on  hear- 
ing it  as  I  once  did,  from  a  distinguished  man 
whom  I  had  long  regarded  as  truly  devout.  He 
was  a  member  of  one  of  the  evangelical  denomi- 
nations, a  regular  attendant  on  religious  ordi- 
nances, a  communicant,  a  firm  believer  in  the 
fundamental  truths  of  religion.  Being  together 
at  the  house  of  his  relative,  this  man,  of  world- 
wide reputation  as  a  man  of  genius,  astonished 
me  with  this  question  when  we  were  by  our- 
selves :  "  What  do  you  understand  by  love  to 
God  ?  "  I  looked  at  him  with  surprise  ;  but  be- 
fore I  could  speak,  he  added,  "  I  know  what  fear 
of  God  means  ;  but  I  do  not  understand  what  is 
meant  when  I  am  called  upon  to  love  God." 
Had  I  uttered  the  thought  which  arose  in  my 
(32) 


HAVE  WE  PERMISSION  TO  LOVE  GOD  ?       33 

mind,  I  should  have  said :  "  I  always  supposed 
you  to  be  a  Christian ;  can  it  be  possible  that 
you  have  need  that  one  teach  you  the  alphabet 
of  religious  experience  ?  "  I  chose  to  put  ques- 
tions to  him  which  would  make  plain  the  secret 
of  his  difficulty ;  his  frank  nature  encouraged 
me  to  ask  them.  His  difficulty,  I  soon  found, 
was  this,  that  loving  God  implied  a  degree  of 
familiarity  which  seemed  to  him  unsuitable  in  a 
finite  creature  when  approaching  his  Creator. 
He  acknowledged  that  the  language  of  the  Bible 
encouraged  the  idea  of  familiarity  in  our  inter- 
course with  God ;  still  he  preferred  to  explain 
all  such  permission  by  what  he  called  Oriental- 
ism. In  vain  was  it  urged  in  reply  that  Orien- 
talism rather  forbade  than  encouraged  liberty 
in  approaching  Majesty ;  prostration,  even  to  ab- 
jectness,  was  enjoined  on  ministers  of  state,  as 
well  as  menial  servants.  Still,  he  expressed  a 
fear  of  presumption  in  drawing  near  to  God  ;  he 
would  stand  afar  off  with  the  publican,  and  not 
lift  .up  so  much  as  his  eyes  to  heaven,  rather  than 
seem  to  trespass  beyond  the  limit  of  reverence. 

It  was  impossible  not  to  love  the  spirit  of  hu- 
mility which  seemed  to  actuate  this  man.  Some 
I  knew  would  doubt  his  piety,  if  they  should 
hear  him  ask  what  it  is  to  love  God ;  therefore  I 
have  never  disclosed  the  conversation,  being  es-" 
pecially  careful  not  to  make  allusion  to  it  since 


34       HAVE  WE  PERMISSION  TO  LOVE  GOD  ? 

his  decease ;  no  one  therefore  knows  to  whom  I 
refer.  It  was  my  j&rm  belief  that  he  was  a  child 
of  God,  thougli  his  inquiry  about  love  to  God 
might  stir  a  question  to  the  contrary  in  some 
zealous,  honest  mind  among  his  friends. 

His  question  has  had  two  effects  on  me ;  one, 
to  make  me  endeavor  to  be  charitable  in  judg- 
ing others ;  the  other,  to  make  clear  to  me  the 
answer  to  the  question  which  I  propose  now  to 
consider :  Have  we  permission  to  love  God  ? 

It  would  not  surprise  me  to  know  that  there 
are  serious  persons  in  all  our  congregations  who 
are  reluctant  to  profess  that  they  love  God,  for 
the  same  reason  that  the  individual  to  whom  I 
have  referred  was  afraid  to  recognize  in  his  reli- 
gious experience  so  familiar  an  emotion  as  love. 
He  could  not  withhold  an  assurance  that  he  did 
fear  God ;  that  this  fear  was  not  selfish,  but  rev- 
erence and  godly  fear.  But  it  may  be  that  he 
had  heard  some  persons  give  utterance  to  emo- 
tions which  they  called  love,  but  which  seemed 
to  him  to  betray  a  want  of  reverence  for  the 
Most  High.  So  there  are  estimable  persons  in 
every  religious  community  who  are  repelled  by 
the  freedom  with  which  they  hear  others  express 
their  affection  for  their  Maker,  when  it  seemed 
devoutly  to  be  wished  that  his  dread  would  fall 
'on  them  and  his  excellency  make  them  afraid! 
Hence  there  are  two  extremes  against  which  we 


HAVE  WE  PEEMISSION  TOLOVE  GOD  ?        35 

need  to  be  on  our  guard.  One  is  Familiarity  ; 
the  other  is  Stoicism.  The  apostles  maintain  a 
just  medium  between  these  extremes.  We  no- 
where find  affectionateness  in  their  intercourse 
with  Christ  approach  an  undue  freedom  ;  nor  are 
we  chilled  by  their  reserve.  The  apostle  John 
might  have  pleaded  an  excuse  for  any  appear- 
ance of  undue  warmth  of  emotion.  Peter  with 
his  wonderful  experience  of  forgiveness  Avould 
not  have  been  bhamed  if  his  affection  for  his 
Lord  had  showed  itself  in  enthusiasm  at  every 
mention  of  his  name.  But  even  Peter  is  a 
model  of  soberness  in  his  affection  ;  we  feel  that 
his  love  is  at  full  tide  in  his  Epistles,  but  we  are 
nowhere  offended  by  the  want  of  self-control. 

The  question  which  I  have  already  mentioned 
as  put  to  me  by  a  man  of  distinguished  genius, 
was  also  expressed  by  a  plain  man,  a  mechanic, 
a  member  of  an  evangelical  church.  He  was  in 
the  last  stages  of  a  decline,  but  in  full  possession 
of  his  faculties.  Once  as  I  was  leaving  his  bed- 
side, he  said :  "  One  thing  more  I  wish  to  ask : 
I  lie  here  and  talk  with  God  in  a  way  which 
startles  me.  I  use  expressions  of  endearment, 
address  him  by  affectionate  names,  make  requests 
as  a  child  to  a  parent,  indulge  in  words  of  adora- 
tion ;  all  of  which,  on  second  thought,  seem  to  me 
too  free  for  a  mortal  to  use  in  his  intercourse 
with  his  Master.     Yet  my  feelings  are  so  strong 


36        HAVE  WE  PEBMISSIOK  TO  LOVE  GOD  ? 

that  I  cannot  restrain  myself.  Tell  me,  should 
I  love  God  in  this  manner?  or  should  I  repress 
my  feelings  and  check  my  words  ?  " 

I  said  to  him  :  "  You  ask,  May  you  love  God 
thus  ?  The  Saviour  says,  quoting  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, '  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all 
thy  strength,  and  with  all  thy  mind.'  Do  j^ou 
ever  exceed  this  ?  "  An  expression  of  satisfac- 
tion came  over  his  face.  The  next  day  he  had 
gone  to  see  Him  "  whom  not  having  seen  "  he 
"  loved." 

I  was  personally  acquainted  with  the  following 
incident  in  the  experience  of  a  lad,  which  I  will 
mention  for  the  instruction  of  the  young,  some 
of  whom  have  questionings  whether  their  relig- 
ious feelings  are  not  to  be  suppressed  as  the 
weaknesses  of  childhood. 

A  lad  was  on  his  way  from  school  with  others 
in  playful  conversation.  When  he  entered  his 
house  he  laid  down  his  books  in  the  entry,  went 
to  his  chamber,  locked  the  door,  and  heedless 
whether  any  one  was  in  the  room  adjoining,  said, 
in  a  childlike  language,  "  O  God,  my  Heavenly 
Father !  I  have  come  to  pray  to  thee.  I  do  not 
want  any  thing  in  particular,  but  I  love  thee.  I 
have  come  to  say  this.  I  don't  know  what  has 
made  me  feel  as  I  have  felt  this  forenoon,  but  I 
have  not  been  able  to  think  of  much  besides 


HAVE  WE  PERMISSION  TO  LOVE  GOD  ?       37 

God.  I  never  loved  any  thing  so.  '  Whom 
have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ;  and  there  is  none 
upon  earth  that  I  desii^e  besides  thee.'  Yes, 
there  is  one  thing  which  I  do  desire,  and  that  is, 
that  all  the  scholars  may  feel  so  toward  thee. 
There  is,  —  "  then  he  named  five  or  six.  Aftei 
a  few  words  more  he  joined  his  brothers  and  sis- 
ters in  their  amusements,  not  feeling,  probably, 
that  he  had  expressed  any  thing  of  special  inter- 
est ;  yet  it  may  be  questioned  whether  in  heaven 
that  day  there  had  been  alleluias  which  had 
awakened  divine  approbation  more  than  this 
child's  prayer. 

Were  we  required  to  give  a  definition  of  love 
to  God,  we  might  well  be  at  a  loss  for  one  which 
would  seem  more  fitted  to  the  subject  than  the 
feeling  of  this  dying  Christian  and  of  this  child. 
For  it  is  questionable  whether  any  thing  could 
be  found  which  better  expresses  love  to  God  as 
we  learn  it  from  the  experience  of  good  men  in 
the  Bible.  One  expression  is  most  common 
among  them  :  "  My  God,"  —  used  as  a  term  of 
endearment :  "  O  God,  thou  art  my  God  ;  early 
will  I  seek  thee.  My  soul  longeth  for  thee,  my 
flesh  thirsteth  for  thee,  in  a  dry  and  thirsty  land 
where  no  water  is."  If  there  is  one  thing  for 
which  David  is  remarkable  it  is,  Love  to  God ; 
and  he  is  called  "  a  man  after  God's  own  heart." 
The  words  of  the  text  leave  no  room  to  question 


88        HAVE  WE  PERMISSION  TO  LOVE  GOD  ? 

what  was  the  predominent  feeling  of  the  swee'u 
Psalmist  of  Israel :  "  I  will  love  thee,  O  Lord, 
my  strength."  Then  he  proceeds  to  heap  up 
epithets  of  love  to  God :  "  The  Lord  is  my  rock 
and  my  fortress,  and  my  deliverer ;  my  God  and 
my  strength  whom  I  will  trust ;  my  buckler  and 
the  horn  of  my  salvation  and  my  high  tower.*' 
He  draws  his  epithets,  you  perceive,  from  his 
experience  in  wildernesses  and  caves.  Suppose 
that  he  had  been  not  a  military,  but  a  sea-faring 
man,  he  would  have  drawn  his  epithets  from  a 
sailor's  experience.  Among  the  objects  of  ex- 
ceeding joy  to  the  sailor  are  the  light  house,  the 
pilot,  the  harbor ;  no  words  are  more  thrilling 
than  "homeward  bound,"  "safe  home."  We 
should  hear  David,  if  a  navigator,  say,  "  Thou 
art  my  light  house,  my  pilot,  my  harbor  ;  to  thee 
I  am  homeward  bound ;  with  thee  I  am  safe 
home."  It  may  be  confidently  said  that  not 
even  is  romance  more  enthusiastic  in  passionate 
expressions  than  the  poetry  which  is  framed  by 
those  who  love  God  and  Jesus  Christ.  Such 
hymns  as  that  by  Dr.  Watts  beginning,  "  My 
God,  my  portion,  and  my  love,"  and  that  by  Mrs. 
Steele,  "My  God,  my  Father,  blissful  name," and 
hymns  of  all  the  ages  of  Christendom  to  ^esus 
Christ,  reveal  this  truth,  that  such  love  is  the 
princix3al  emotion  of  the  Christian  heart.  There 
is  one  branch  of  evidence  here  which  can  be  ap- 


HAVE  WE  PERMISSION  TO  LOVE  GOD  ?        39 

predated  only  by  the  regenerate  ;  I  refer  to  the 
experience  of  people  at  conversion.  When  the 
love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  the  heart  by  the 
Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  to  us,  when  the 
change  takes  place  in  our  nature  which  is  de- 
noted by  being  "  born  again,"  "  created  anew  in 
Christ  Jesus,"  "heirs  of  God  and  joint-heirs  with 
Christ,"  when  by  as  sudden  a  disclosure  of  spirit- 
ual things  as  Paul  received  on  his  way  to  Da- 
mascus, the  mind  first  has  a  conception  of  God, 
is  convinced  of  its  sinfulness,  its  lost  estate,  when 
Clirist  is  revealed  to  the  mind  as  the  Divine  Sa- 
viour with  as  full  a  revelation  as  to  Saul  of  Tarsus, 
making  him  cry,  "  Who  art  thou.  Lord,"  then  is 
kindled  a  flame  of  love  to  God  and  Christ  which 
the  apostle  Paul  declares  to  be  comparable  only 
to  the  creation  of  light :  "  For  God  who  com- 
manded the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath 
shined  in  our  hearts  to  give  the  light  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Christ."  Then  is  fulfilled  tliat  passage  in 
the  Psalms  :  "  He  brought  me  up  also  out  of  an 
horrible  pit,  out  of  the  mir}^  cla3%  and  set  my 
feet  upon  a  rock,  and  established  my  goings. 
And  he  hath  put  a  new  song  in  my  mouth,  even 
praise  unto  our  God.  Many  shall  see  it,  and 
fear,  and  shall  trust  in  the  Lord."  Is.  40 :  2,  3. 
One  instance  will  suffice  to  show  what  this 
experience  is.     It  takes  place  everywhere  under 


40        HAVE  WE  PERMISSION  TO  LOVE  GOD  ? 

tlie  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  sometimes  in  scores 
of  cases  at  once.  A  man  was  riding  iiome  on 
horseback  after  evening  service,  meditating  on 
what  he  had  heard.  He  was  secretly  persuaded 
to  yield  himself  up  to  God ;  when  all  at  once 
light  from  heaven  broke  upon  his  mind,  reveal- 
ing to  him  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ  with 
a  sense  of  peace  with  God  and  the  303^  of  par- 
doned sin ;  so  that  he  found  himself  in  a  new 
world.  Unable  to  contain  his  joy  at  the  discov- 
ery, having  no  one  at  home  who  could  enter  into 
his  feelings,  turning  his  horses  head,  he  rode 
back  three  miles  to  the  minister's  house,  and 
called  him  to  the  door.  Taking  both  of  the  min- 
ister's hands  in  his,  he  cried  out :  "  O,  sir  !  what 
a  God  we  have ! "  which  was  the  substance  of 
all  that  he  said,  for  it  was  impossible  for  words 
to  express  his  emotions,  and  he  mounted  and 
rode  home,  singing  and  praying.  No  one  would 
have  found  it  more  impossible  than  he  to  answer 
the  question,  "  What  do  you  understand  by 
loving  God ;  "-  he,  whose  Avhole  being  was  at 
that  hour  flooded  with  it,  could  have  found  no 
words  to  define  his  emotions.  Does  any  one 
say,  "  Of  what  value  can  such  emotions  be  to 
God  ?  "  We  might  answer  him,  Of  what  value 
is  any  thing  to  God  ?  He  will  one  day  give  up 
this  globe  to  fire.  There  is  nothing  of  any  value 
to  God  except  love.     The  whole  object  of  God 


HAVE  WE  PERMISSION  TO  LOVE  GOD  ?       41 

in  the  Bible  seems  every  where  to  have  been  to 
make  men  love  him.  You  would  not  have  sup- 
posed that  those  lightnings  and  thunder  and 
voices  on  Sinai  which  made  Moses  exceedingly 
fear  and  quake,  meant,  "  Thou  shalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart."  But  they 
did.  As  we  read  the  Old  Testament  we  find 
that  God  is  continually  directing  his  efforts  with 
men  to  make  them  love  him.  His  terrific  judg- 
ments are  owing  wholly  to  the  refusal  of  man  to 
love  God.  Will  loving  God  satisfy  Him  ?  Let 
us  inquire  into  the  teaching  of  his  word  upon 
this  point. 

I.    The  experience  of  men  in  the  Bible 

SHOWS  us  THAT  THE   SUM   OF  HUMAN   DUTY  IS 

TO  LOVE  God. 

No  book  is  more  satisfactory  on  this  point 
than  Deuteronomy.  Of  the  Saviour's  three  re- 
plies to  Satan's  temptations  in  the  wilderness, 
two  arefrom  that  book;  the  third  is  also  found 
there,  though  it  occurs  elsewhere.  In  that  book 
we  find  Moses  rehearsing  to  Israel  their  sins  and 
the  consequences  of  them  in  the  judgments  of 
God,  how  well  it  would  have  been  with  them 
had  they  but  loved  Him  ;  then  what  expostula- 
tions he  uses  to  make  them  love  God ! 

There  was  also  that  great  captain,  Joshua,  who 
led  Israel   in  the   conquest  of  Canaan,   taking 


42       HAVE  WE  PERMISSION  TO  LOVE  GOD  ? 

cities  wallecl  up  to  heaven, slaying  mighty  kings; 
then  in  his  farewell  address  to  the. nation  using 
language  which  would  sound  strangely,  we 
would  all.  acknowledge,  from  the  lips  of  the 
Queen  of  Great  Britain  to  Parliament,  or  from 
any  President  of  these  United  States.  Imagine 
those  dignitaries  saying  in  their  addresses, "  Take 
good  heed  to  yourselves  that  ye  love  the  Lord 
your  God." 

It  deserves  remark  that  he  does  not  call  upon 
them  as  he  well  might  have  done,  in  view  of 
their  stupendous  history  from  Egypt  through  the 
Red  Sea  and  the  wilderness,  to  fear  and  tremble  ; 
but,  '•'  take  good  heed  to  yourselves  that  ye  love 
the  Lord  your  God."  Perhaps  some  will  sa}^.  It 
was  a  strange  method  of  making  men  love  God, 
to  threaten  them  ;  to  make  men  entreat  that  the 
voice  might  not  be  spoken  to  them  any  more. 
Let  him  consider  that  there  is  no  way  in  which, 
on  account  of  the  hardness  of  our  hearts  God 
brings  us  to  love  him  more  effectually  than  by  his 
terrible  dispensations. 

We  have  seen  those  -who  had  withstood  the 
gentle  methods  by  which  God  sought  to  bring 
them  to  himself;  they  have  broken  the  cords  of 
love,  the  bands  of  a  man,  which  would  have 
bound  their  affections  to  God ;  till  at  last  some 
great  affliction  has  won  their  alienated  affections  ; 
fire  has  consumed  their  property ;  failures  have 


HAVE  "WE  PERMISSION  TO  LOVE  GOD  ?       43 

set  them  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  which  all  their 
life  time  they  had  been  climbing ;  death  has  de- 
spoiled them  of  a  companion  or  child,  so  that  the 
pillars  of  heaven  tremble  and  are  astonished  at 
his  reproof.  Instead  of  growing  sullen,  then  de- 
spondent, they  have  humbled  themselves  under 
the  mighty  hand  of  God,  and  he  has  exalted 
them  in  due  time. 

Years  after  we  have  seen  them  walking  the 
heavenward  path,  testifying,  "  It  is  good  for  me 
that  I  have  been  afflicted."  "  Before  I  was  af- 
flicted I  went  astray ;  but  now  have  I  kept  thy 
word."  In  heaven  they  will  probably  adore  the 
wisdom  and  goodness  which  devised  the  chas- 
tisement that  brought  them  to  their  senses. 
"  Why  is  it,"  we  have  heard  them  say,  "that  God 
should  in  mercy  have  afflicted  me,  thereby  bring- 
ing me  to  himself,  while  so  many  are  left  to  have 
their  portion  in  this  life,  and  perhaps  perish  ?  " 

These  people  can  understand  us  when  we  say 
that  Mount  Sinai  was  intended  to  make  men 
love  God ;  the  law  was  our  school-master,  to 
bring  us  to  Christ.  There  are  doubtless  some 
who  read  these  lines  who  look  upon  the  trials 
which  have  crushed  them  as  the  chief  blessings 
which  God  has  bestowed.  These  trials  will 
make  the  basis  of  their  songs  of  thanksgiving  in 
heaven. 

When  night  comes  down  in  the  Azores,  the 


44       HAVE  WE  PERMISSION  TO  LOVE  GOD  ? 

lavender  beds  yield  perfumes,  which  all  day  long 
the  hot  sun  had  consumed.  After  a  storm  we 
look  for  sea-mosses  and  pebbles  which  the  work- 
ing of  the  sea  has  brought  on  shore.  Solomon 
says  in  his  prayer  at  the  dedication  of  the  temple, 
"  The  Lord  hath  said  that  lie  would  dwell  in  the 
thick  darkness."  If  God  desires  to  draw  a  Chris- 
tian very  near  to  himself,  he  will  almost  always 
send  a  heavy  trial  upon  him.  David  said, 
"  When  He  hath  tried  me  I  shall  come  forth  as 
gold." 

Satan  thought  that  he  would  destroy  the  man 
of  Uz  ;  so  he  moved  God  to  put  forth  his  hand 
and  touch  his  flesh  ;  but  it  had  the  contrary  ef- 
fect ;  God  said  to  the  friends  of  Job  :  "  Ye  have 
not  spoken  of  me  the  thing  that  is  right  as  my 
servant  Job  hath."  We  see  Christians  who  have 
been  grievously  afflicted,  cleaving  to  God  the 
more  that  he  smites  them.  God  seems  to  shake 
them  off,  as  the  angel  did  wrestling  Jacob ;  but 
they  will  not  be  shaken  off :  "I  will  not  let  thee 
go  except  thou  bless  me." 

They  testify  that  they  never  loved  God  so 
much  as  when  he  had  taken  their  treasures  from 
them.  He  sometimes  chooses  sharper  arrows 
from  his  quiver,  that  we  may  turn  to  him  that 
smiteth  us.  If  He  does  this,  in  exchange  for  all 
which  they  have  on  earth.  Christians  sometimes 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  God  is  the  best  Por- 


HAVE  WE  PERMISSION  TO  LOVE  GOD  ?       45 

tion  ;  that  his  loving  kindness  is  better  than  life ; 
that  heavenly  mindedness  is  well  purchased  by 
the  loss  of  all  things  ;  that  to  love  God  as  Hab- 
akkuk  did,  is  better  than  to  have  the  fig  tree 
blossom.  Why  is  it  better  ?  Because  God  says, 
"  I  love  them  that  love  me  ;  "  and  what  if  God 
loves  a  man  ?  We  would  give  up  all  that  we 
have,  including  those  nearest  to  us,  when  God 
bestows  himself  upon  us. 

God  in  his  infinite  wisdom  finds  his  "  declara- 
tive "  glory  in  the  happiness  of  his  intelligent 
creatures.  He  resolves  to  make  them  love  him, 
knowing  that  tliereby  they  will  be  happy,  and 
their  happiness  will  glorify  him.  Hence  he  seeks 
to  make  us  love  him.  He  sometimes  uses  the 
loudest  voices  in  creation  to  proclaim,  "  Thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God."  He  lightens,  he 
thunders,  he  uses  that  voice  which  made  Israel 
tremble,  or  the  still,  small  voice  which  made  Eli- 
jah who  stood  firm  under  the  fire  and  earth- 
quake and  the  wind,  wrap  his  face  in  his  mantle 
and  stand  in  the  door  of  the  cave.  If  God  has 
set  his  love  on  a  man  he  may  honor  him  by  great 
trials.  He  cannot  trust  all  to  bear  great  trials. 
They  are  not  asbestos  ;  but  combustible.  But  he 
said  of  Saul  of  Tarsus,  "  I  will  show  him  how 
great  things  he  must  suffer  for  my  sake." 

Probably  there  is  nothing  which  excites  the 
admiration  of  angels  more,  than  to  see  us  loving 


46       HAVE  WE  PERMISSION  TO  LOVE  GOD  ? 

God  the  more  that  he  afflicts  us.  Then  they  see 
the  power  of  faith;  how  it  makes  a  man  endure 
as  seeing  him  who  is  invisible.  Angels  see  God 
face  to  face  ;  perhaps  they  never  have  any  thing 
in  their  personal  experience  to  try  their  confi- 
dence in  God.  But  to  see  us  in  this  sinful  world 
loving  an  unseen  God  and  Saviour,  cleaving  to 
him  the  more  that  he  chastens  us,  seems  to  them, 
no  doubt,  a  stupendous  thing. 

Perhaps  God  afflicts  some  Christians  to  make 
of  them  a  spectacle  to  angels  and  men.  While 
men  are  pitying  them,  saying,  "  You  have  more 
than  your  share  of  trouble,"  it  is  because  they 
can  endure.  God  will  let  them  see  hereafter 
that  the  trial  of  their  faith  was  mucl>  more  pre- 
cious than  of  gold  which  perisheth  though  it  be 
tried  with  fire  and  was  found  unto  praise  and 
honor  and  glory  at  the  appearing  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

II.    The  cross  of  Christ  is  the  Divine 

TESTIMONY  TO  MAN,  NOT  ONLY  THAT  HE  MAY, 
BUT  THAT  HE  MUST  LOVE  GOD. 

There  seems  to  be  an  argument  on  this  point, 
addressed  to  man  as  an  intellectual  being,  in  the 
three  epistles  of  John.  That  man  had  written 
"the  fourth  Gospel,"  as  free  thinkers  call  it, 
some  of  whom  would  sacrifice  much  could  they 
undermine  the  confidence  of  men  in  its  apostolic 


HAVE  WE  PERMISSION  TO  LOVE  GOD  ?        47 

authority.  He  had  seen  visions  beyond  the  ex- 
perience of  all  the  prophets.  Now  lie  comes  to 
write  some  farewell  lines  to  the  people  of  God  in 
all  ages.  What  mighty  work  shall  that  be  which 
is  to  crown  his  earthly  labors  ?  Some  Epistle  to 
the  Romans,  perhaps  ;  or,  it  is  the  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews,  whose  opening  chapter  always  seems 
like  the  tread  of  battalions.  Instead  of  this, 
there  is  nothing  in  all  the  New  Testament  of 
more  artless  simplicity  than  those  three  epistles 
of  John.  It  is  given  to  him  in  those  epistles  to 
dwell  upon  this :  God  is  love  ;  to  enjoin  upon 
Christians,  not  that  they  remember  one  and  an- 
other of  the  important  texts  of  the  Christian 
faith,  but  that  we  have  known  and  believed  the 
love  which  God  has  toward  us. 

God  is  not  wisdom,  nor  power,  nor  holiness,  nor 
justice  ;  though  each  of  these  attributes  in  him 
is  infinite  ;  but  the  governing  principle,  motive, 
end,  in  his  character  is  love.  Strange  would  it 
be  if  love  to  God  were  not  insisted  on  as  the 
governing  principle  in  his  intelligent  creatures, 
in  man  made  after  his  own  image  and  likeness, 
especially  in  the  second  birth  conferred  upon  him 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  third  person  in  the  God- 
head, the  author  of  the  new  creation.  The  Holy 
Ghost  is  the  author  of  the  human  nature  of 
Christ.  Shall  he  be  the  author  of  Incarnate 
Love,  yet  fail  to  make  man,  renewed,  for  whom 


48        HAVE  WE  PEKMISSION  TO  LOVE  GOD  ? 

Divine  love  is  made  incarnate,  partaker  of  love 
to  God?  Shall  man,  his  new  creation,  be  a  cold, 
phlegmatic,  intellectnal  being  ? 

See  man's  Redeemer  an  infant,  then  a  man  of 
sorrows,  acquainted  with  grief,  with  no  certain 
place  where  he  could  lay  his  head,  despised  and 
rejected  of  men,  enduring  every  form  of  con- 
tumely, bound,  buffeted,  crowned  Avith  thorns ; 
consider  him  who  endured  such  contradiction  of 
sinners  against  himself;  say,  "  He  loved  me  and 
gave  himself  for  me ; "  recount  each  sorrow 
which  he  carried  for  us;  then  ask.  From  what 
region  of  the  earth  did  a  man  proceed  who  pro- 
pounded to  us  the  question,  Have  we  permission 
to  love  God  ?  We  would  in  reply  counsel  him 
to  consider  that  marvellous  sentence  in  the  writ- 
iugs  of  the  Apostle  Paul  who  breaks  forth  with 
this  strange  utterance  while  sending^ messages  of 
affection  to  the  Corinthians  :  "  If  any  man  love 
not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  let  him  be  anathema, 
maranatha."  Let  him  explain  why  the  absence 
of  love  to  Christ  should  deserve  denunciation ; 
and  why  may  not  the  absence  of  love  to  God  be 
equally  criminal  ? 

May  we  be  able  to  comprehend  with  all  saints 
what  is  the  breadth  and  length  and  depth  and 
height ;  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ  which 
passeth  knowledge,  that  we  may  be  filled  with 
all  the  fulness  of  God. 


HAVE  WE  PERMISSION  TO  LOVE  GOD  ?       49 

Nothing  will  probably  occupy  the  thoughts  of 
some  through  eternity  with  more  profound  as- 
tonishment than  that  they  ever  had  to  be  asked 
twice  to  love  God,  except  it  be  that  God  conde- 
scended to  ask  them  twice  to  love  him.  Did  the 
Almighty  ever  receive  a  refusal  or  neglect  from 
me,  and  ask  me  a  second  time  to  love  him  ?  Has 
he  asked  twice  for  my  heart  and  asked  in  vain  ? 
If  the  Final  Judge  pronounces  upon  one  of  us 
the  sentence,  "  Depart  from  me,"  it  will  be  the 
occasion  of  everlasting  astonishment  to  that  soul 
that  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
could  severally  and  together  say  to  him,  "  How 
often  would  1  have  gathered  3'ou  —  and  ye  would 
not."  Let  this  appeal  now  prevail.  If  not,  God 
grant  that  it  may  not  prove  to  be  the  last. 


III. 


PAUL'S  ESTIMATE  OF  HIMSELF  BE^ 
FORE  AND  AFTER  CONVERSION, 

"  If  any  man  thinketh  that  he  hath  whereof  he  might  glory  in  the  flesh,  I 
more.'' 

"  But  what  things  were  gain  to  me,  those  I  counted  loss  for  Christ.'' — 
Phil.  3  :  4,  7. 

IN  these  words  we  have  the  apostle's  different 
opinion  of  himself  before  and  after  conver- 
sion. 

We  could  not  succeed  in  finding  a  better  spec- 
imen of  an  apparently  religious  man  before  con- 
version, than  Saul.  He  had  deep  reverence  for 
God.  He  observed  all  the  requirements  of  the 
faith  in  which  he  was  brought  up.  We  proba- 
bly err  if  we  think  that  his  conduct  toward 
Christians  was  from  a  blood-thirsty  disposition. 
It  was  zeal  for  his  religion  that  made  him  a  per- 
secutor. It  grieved  him  to  think  that  the  Chris- 
tians should  seek  to  overturn  such  a  religion  as 
Moses  had  received  from  God.  No  miracles 
claimed  to  be  wrought  by  Christ,  he  thought 
(50) 


BEFORE  AND  AFTER  CONVERSION.     51 

could  go  beyond  the  miracles  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. That  religion  was  built  on  miracles,  be- 
ginning with  Israel  in  Egypt,  the  burning  bush, 
the  Red  Sea,  Sinai,  Horeb,  the  conquest  of  Ca- 
naan, Mount  Ilor  and  Nebo. 

The  idea  that  a  man  who  had  been  crucified 
between  two  thieves,  while  his  timid  followers 
fled,  should  be  deified,  after  being  stolen  away 
from  his  sepulchre,  all  power  in  heaven  and  on 
earth  be  claimed  for  him  ;  that  such  men  as  Jo- 
seph of  Arimathea,  Nicodemus  a  ruler,  and 
Stephen,  should  be  duped  by  him,  only  exasper- 
ated him  ;  he  felt  that  strong  measures  were 
needed  to  crush  the  growing  delusion.  Not 
from  mere  love  of  giving  pain,  but  from  zeal  for 
God,  he  became  a  persecutor. 

When  it  became  necessary  to  put  such  a  man 
as  Stephen  to  death,  he  was  glad,  no  doubt,  that 
natural  courage  did  not  fail ;  he  consented  to  it, 
and  kept  the  raiment  of  them  that  slew  him.  In 
all  this,  he  was  still  an  accomplished  scholar,  a 
prominent  member  of  Jewish  society,  but  an  un- 
believer, which  in  view  of  demonstrative  evi- 
dence was  inexcusable.  Yet  if  any  one  had  ac- 
cused him  of  cruelty  from  the  love  of  giving 
pain,  no  doubt  he  would  have  resented  it,  and 
would  have  defended  himself  by  setting  forth 
the  enormous  imposture  which  he  would  say  he 
was  piously  seeking  to  expose. 


52  Paul's  estimate  of  himself 

No  one  can  read  the  religious  papers  of  our 
times  in  days  of  high  rehgious  excitement,  with- 
out seeing  how  far  even  cultivated  men  can  go 
in  opposing  others  who  differ  from  them.  Let 
some  one  who  has  become  prominent  in  the  com- 
munity as  a  champion  of  their  sect  become  a  con- 
vert to  an  opposite  faith,  and  you  will  see  in  the 
studied  sarcasms  of  some,  perhaps  their  vituper- 
ation, open  pity,  the  abandonment  of  him  to 
what  they  consider  deserved  neglect,  not  to  say 
contempt,  for  daring  to  impugn  their  faith.  If 
these  things  are  done  in  our  day  by  those  who 
claim  to  be  Christians,  we  cannot  wonder  that  the 
growing  success  of  the  Nazarene's  supposed  im- 
posture, should  have  carried  even  such  a  man  as 
Saul  of  Tarsus  beyond  the  bounds  of  humanity. 

All  this  time  he  was  a  liberal  scholar,  a  polite, 
courteous,  and  in  private,  kind  man.  He  could 
talk  about  Moses  and  the  prophets,  the  Levitical 
law,  the  ceremonies  of  religion,  the  rules  which 
ought  to  regulate  one's  behaviour  in  society,  how 
much  mint,  anise,  and  cummin  were  a  proper  meas- 
ure of  one's  piety,  if  he  wished  to  be  scrupulous 
in  keeping  the  law.  It  was  a  great  satisfaction 
to  him  that  all  the  externals  of  his  religious  his- 
tory were  so  unexceptionable. 

There  was  no  question  that  he  had  been  cir- 
cumcised the  eighth  day ;  his  lineage  was  un- 
doubted ;  the  Scribes  had  verified   it ;   in  the 


BEFORE  AND  AFTER  CONVERSION.     53 

tribe  of  Benjamin  he  delighted  to  find  his  name 
written.  Young  people  loved  to  be  told  that 
they  were  of  the  tribe  of  "  little  Benjamin ;  " 
they  could  not  but  feel  even  when  grown  up 
that  there  was  fondness  on  the  part  of  Provi- 
dence for  all  of  that  tribe. 

Young  Saul  had  proved  to  the  High  Priest  and 
all  the.  estate  of  the  elders  that  he  was  a  true 
Israelite  of  that  tribe.  All  the  paths  of  distinc- 
tion were  open  to  him ;  but  more  than  all,  liis 
pharisaic  strictness  in  keeping  the  law,  joined 
to  his  unquestionable  Jewish  descent,  and  his  ar- 
dent piety  evinced  by  his  being  willing  to  perse- 
cute for  the  defence  of  Moses  and  the  prophets  ; 
his  determination  to  uphold  the  religion  of  the 
fathers,  cost  him  what  it  might  on  the  score  of 
personal  feelkig,  made  him  willing  to  challenge 
comparison  with  any  young  religionist  the  world 
over. 

Indeed,  from  what  we  know  of  Paul  in  his 
writings  we  are  ready  to  believe  that  all  which 
he  says  of  himself  in  the  text  is  far  from  boast- 
ing. For  we  may  venture  to  say  that  the  world 
fails  to  furnish  us  with  a  more  lovely  natural 
character  than  he  evidently  possessed.  We  may 
not  suppose  that  he  grew  at  once  from  a  malig- 
nant fiend  to  such  a  perfect  specimen  of  a  man 
as  his  epistles  show  him  to  be.  He  must  have 
had  in  him  the  germ  of  those  remarkable  quali- 


64 


ties  wliicli  he  manifested  in  his  intercourse  with 
the  Christians  of  his  day.  We  infer  from  his 
writings  that  he  suffered  greatly  from  the  tem- 
pers of  men  ;  that  the  behaviour;  of  some  profes- 
sing to  be  Christians,  was  irksome  to  him  in  the 
extreme  ;  yet  can  we  anywhere  find  such  great- 
ness as  marks  his  words  of  reproof? 

Instead  of  studying  Lord  Chesterfield  for  prin- 
ciples of  politeness  in  our  intercourse  with  one 
another,  it  may  be  safely  said,  that  a  careful  ob- 
servance of  the  treatment  by  Paul,  of  people  who 
had  given  him  occasion  for  offence,  is  the  best 
guide  to  men  and  manners,  to  that  true  polite- 
ness which  springs  from  benevolence.  One  can- 
not read,  for  example,  the  words  of  Paul  to  the 
Corinthian  Christians,  and  remember  their  con- 
duct at  the  Lord's  table,  and  not  wonder  at  the 
kindness  which  prevails  in  his  reproofs.  Paul 
must  have  had  in  his  natural  character  a  founda- 
tion for  such  things  as  he  here  and  elsewhere  ex- 
hibits ;  much  as  he  owed  to  sovereign  grace  we 
feel  that  he  was  a  man  greatly  to  be  loved,  and 
worthy  to  be  studied ;  he  could  not  by  imitation 
have  acquired  at  once  those  traits  of  character 
which  we  find  in  his  writings.  Judging  from 
the  effects  of  conversion  since  his  day,  we  are 
made  to  feel  that  he  must  have  had  many  amia- 
ble traits  either  by  nature  or  education. 

At  the  risk  of  seeming  to  digress  from  my  sub- 


BEFORE  AND  AFTER  CONVERSION.     55 

ject,  I  feel  constrained  to  say  that  we  greatly  err 
if  we  let  our  children  go  at  large  in  the  world 
with  evil  companions,  or  furnish  them  with 
money  to  gratify  every  expensive,  worldly  taste, 
neglecting  to  restrain  them,  and  to  bring  them 
up  after  a  godly  sort,  then,  laying  the  blame  of 
their  not  being  converted,  on  ministers.  Should 
they  be  converted  we  must  not  wonder  to  see 
them  chastened  by  the  hand  of  covenant  love. 
If  we  spare  the  rod,  God  has  one  which  he 
will  surely  use  with  our  children,  if  he  loves 
them.  He  will  take  them  in  hand,  and,  in 
dealing  severely  with  them,  break  our  hearts 
also. 

We  see  in  Paul  the  beautiful  effects  of  paren- 
tal culture.  It  seems,  as  though  there  had  been 
verified  to  his  parents  the  quaint  saying,  "  Fill 
the  waterpots  with  water  and  Christ  will  turn  it 
into  wine."  Give  the  children  right  moral  train-, 
ing,  not  neglecting  it  because  it  is  not  "  the  one 
thing  needful,"  in  the  comparative  sense  of  that 
term.  Though  the  fruit  may  not  be  seen  at 
once,  it  will  be  seen  when  regenerating  grace  is 
given  in  answer  to  prevailing  prayer. 

But  to  return.  Here  we  have  a  man  who  by 
nature  and  education  is  a  model  man.  The  mor- 
alists, the  religionists  of  that  day  would  place 
an}^  crown  on  his  head  which  his  ambition  would 
have  reached  after.     Indeed  I  shall  gain  the  as- 


bQ  Paul's  estimate  of  himself 

sent  of  all  when  I  say, —  let  young  Saul  of  Tar- 
sus, the  unconverted  Saul,  now  appear  in  some 
parts  of  our  country,  and  it  would  be  deemed  il- 
liberal, even  bigoted,  not  to  receive  him  into  full 
communion  in  many  of  our  religious  circles. 
His  differences  of  opinion  on  subjects  of  a  relig- 
ious nature  would  be  treated  as  mere  matters  of 
speculation  ;  it  would  be  said,  "  If  such  a  man 
cannot  be  saved,  who  will  be  ?  Show  us  a  pro- 
fessed Christian  who  is  such  an  example  of  the 
virtues,  the  graces  of  character,  of  all  which 
adorns  humanity. 

"  Listen  to  his  lectures.  The  eloquence  of 
Isaiah,  the  grace  of  Ecclesiastes,  the  tone  of  the 
old  desert  rhetoric  of  Moses  and  Elijah  appear  in 
his  speech.  Can  he  not  be  persuaded  to  modify 
his  speculative  belief  about  Christianity  a  little, 
that  we  may  settle  him  over  one  of  our  churches? 
What  audiences  he  would  draw  !  What  a  reve- 
nue would  flow  into  that  parish ! "  Thus  he 
would  be  the  most  admired  of  preachers,  unless 
some  accomplished  Hindoo,  for  example,  should 
arise,  conceding  things  to  Jesus  Christ  as  a 
teacher ;  and  then  the  young  Jew  would  prove 
to  be  superseded. 

All  this  excellence  of  natural  character  by  it- 
self, however,  is  of  no  avail  before  God.  Some 
would  say.  If  Saul  were  such  a  man  as  you  de- 
scribe, what  need  had  he  of  being  regenerated  ? 


BEFORE  AND  AFTER  CONVERSION.     57 

Paul  shall  answer.  We  will  now  see  this 
joiing  Jew  in  the  fulness  of  his  attainments  as  a 
model  man,  casting  it  all  away  as  a  ground  of 
justification,  and,  to  use  his  most  expressing  fig- 
ure, counting  it  but  dung.  But  tell  us  not  that 
he  has  now  become  a  fanatic,  that  he  has  gone 
from  the  extreme  of  pharisaism.  Unless  we  are 
ready  to  believe  that  such  a  man  became  in  one 
day  a  bigot,  for  nothing,  yea,  worse  than  nothing, 
for  stripes,  imprisonment,  stoning,  wearisome 
journeys,  the  loss  of  professional  reputation,  his 
standing  as  a  scholar  gone,  death  everywhere 
threatening  him,  we  must  candidly  inquire,  what 
is  the  explanation  of  so  mysterious  a  change  ? 
His  writings  prove  beyond  suspicion  that  he  is 
upright,  and  not  only  so,  but  severely  logical  in 
all  this  ;  for  was  the  epistle  to  the  Romans  writ- 
ten by  a  fanatic  ?  Does  the  book  of  Acts  record 
any  vagaries  ?  It  is  an  unvarnished  tale  of 
Saul's  conversion  by  the  appearance  to  him  of 
Jesus  Christ  with  a  light  at  noon  surpassing  the 
brightness  of  the  sun,  with  a  superhuman  voice, 
saying,  "  Why  persecutest  thou  me  ?  "  We  can- 
not withhold  our  belief  from  the  declaration,  that 
straightway  he  preached  in  the  synagogues  that 
Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God. 

We  find  the  burden  of  his  doctrine  from  that 
time  till  his  death  to  be,  that  "  this  is  a  faithful 
saying  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Jesus 


58  Paul's  estimati^  of  himself    * 

Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,"  "and 
that  for  this  cause  he  obtained  mercy,  that  Jesus 
Christ  might  sliow  forth  in  him  a  pattern  of  all 
long-suffering  to  them  who  should  hereafter  be- 
lieve on  him  to  life  everlasting."  Four  words 
contain  the  burden  of  his  message  :  "Christ  died 
for  us."  Going  deeper  into  the  explanation  of 
the  plan  of  salvation  we  find  him  dwelling  con- 
stantly on  this,  that  simply  believing  on  Christ 
saves  us ;  that  believing  on  Christ  is  imputed  to 
a  sinner  for  righteousness;  so  that  pardon  is 
given  for  nothing  except  the  taking  of  it  in  the 
ordinary  way  in  which  a  guilty  person  accepts 
pardon. 

Eternal  life  is  a  gift;  this  must  be  received 
freely,  not  be  paid  for  by  meritorious  works  on 
the  part  of  the  sinner.  Then  we  learn  from  him 
that  his  previous  good  character,  his  excellence 
as  a  man  was  what  he  calls  the  righteousness 
which  is  of  the  law  ;  not  the  righteousness  which 
is  of  faith ;  that  a  man  may  strive  to  have  the 
righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  but  it  will 
perish ;  that  he  tried  the  plan  of  being  good  as 
the  way  to  be  saved,  but  suffered  intensely  in  do- 
ing it ;  for  this  was  his  experience :  "I  find  a 
law  in  my  members  warring  against  the  law  of 
my  mind,  and  bringing  me  into  captivity  to  the 
law  of  sin  which  is  in  my  members.  O  wretched 
man  that  I  am  !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the 


BEFORE  AND  AFTER  CONVERSION.     59 

body  of  this  death  ?  "  All  the  time  so  moml,  yet 
so  wretched  !  Here  is  his  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion, "  Who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of 
this  death?"  "I  thank  God  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord." 

You  would,  perhaps,  expect  merely  to  find 
this  man  confessing  only  that  he  had  made  a 
mistake ;  that  now  he  had  gained  more  light, 
and  in  consequence  had  changed  his  opinion 
concerning  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  that  he  still  in- 
sisted on  the  moral  virtues  as  the  ground  of  sal- 
vation, taking  Christ  as  an  excellent  teacher, 
admitting  that  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  was  an 
improvement  on  the  old  law.  You  would,  per- 
haps, look  to  see  him  come  forth  under  the  name 
of  "  the  reformed  Jew,"  retaining  all  his  old 
opinions  as  to  the  way  to  be  saved,  admitting 
merely  that  Christ  had  given  us  more  light  than 
Moses. 

Nothing  could  be  further  from  tlie  truth.  We 
may  be  surprised  to  find  how  he  calls  his  ^hole 
past  experience  by  severe  names :  "  What  things 
were  gain  to  me,  those  I  counted  loss  for  Christ. 
Yea,  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but  loss 
for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
Jesus  my  Lord,  for  whom  I  have  suffered  the 
loss  of  all  things."  And  what  things  does  it  ap- 
pear that  he  includes  in  the  expression,  "  gain  to 
me  ?  "     The  answer  to  this  important  question 


60  Paul's  estimate  of  himself 

is  seen  in  ascertaining  the  things  for  which  he  ex- 
changed them^  Because  these  were  the  op- 
posites  of  the  things  which  were  "  gain  to  him." 
We  find  him  prizing  the  following  things  as  pre- 
eminent beyond  any  thing  which  he  ever  was,  or 
possessed,  or  knew  before  :  — 

The  first  which  he  specified  is,  To  know  Christ, 
"  That  I  may  know  him."  That  the  last  thing 
which  once  he  could  have  desired,  should  now  be 
the  first  object  in  this  enumeration  is  wonderful. 
His  writings  tell  us  what  he  had  found  Christ  to 
be ;  instead  of  an  imposter,  "  God  manifest  in 
the  flesh,  seen  of  angels,  preached  unto  the  Gen- 
tiles, believed  on  in  the  world,  received  up  into 
glory." 

Worship  paid  to  Christ  now  took  the  place  of 
contempt ;  love  supplanted  hatred ;  gratitude 
was  the  new,  strange  emotion  which  ruled  in  his 
feelings  toward  Him.  He  began  at  once  to  study 
a  theme  which  was  to  be  his  employment  for- 
ever,—  the  God-man,  instead  of  an  imposter, 
God  manifest  in  the  flesh,  instead  of  a  pretender. 
To  know  him  and  the  power  of  his  resurrection ; 
which  opened  to  the  mind  of  Paul  the  future 
eternal  state  of  souls,  the  truth  of  which  even  if 
known  by  him  before,  now  shone  in  his  mind 
with  the  brightness  of  a  sun. 

Never  had  he  before  such  contemplations  as 
this  revelation  of  the  resurrection  seems  to  have 


BEFORE  AND  AFTER   CONVERSION.  61 

given  :  for  he  became  at  once  enthusiastic  in  his 
dehght :  "  If  by  any  means  I  might  attain  unto 
the  resurrection  of  the  dead."  The  prospect  of 
being  raised  from  the  dead  by  the  Lord  Jesus, 
with  a  body  like  unto  his  Saviour's  glorious  body 
captivated  him  ; "  it  so  filled  his  thoughts  that 
nothing  else  seemed  to  bear  any  comparison  with 
it :  "I  shall  rise  from  the  dead  with  a  body  like 
Christ's;"  that  expectation  became  his  ruling  mo- 
tive. He  who  before  had  such  an  aversion  to 
the  name  of  Christ  that  he  entered  into  houses 
with  authority  from  the  rulers,  dragging  men 
and  women  to  prison,  compelling  them  by  tor- 
ture to  blaspheme  the  name  of  Jesus,  now  mak- 
ing it  his  chief  joy  "  to  know  him  and  the  power 
of  his  resurrection,"  when  he  would  have  a  body 
"  like  unto  hiis  glorious  body,"  is  a  marvel  which 
even  fiction  has  nothing  to  surpass.  The  fruit 
of  it  was  a  desire  to  have  a  "  fellowship  with 
him  in  his  sufferings,"  longing  to  be  like  Christ 
to  such  an  extent  that  he  was  glad  even  to  be 
beaten,  to  be  scourged  for  his  name's  sake  ;  even 
to  be  made  "  conformable  unto  his  death." 

We  have  only  to  read  passages  from  his  pen 
such  as  the  following,  to  see  the  secret  of  his  en- 
thusiasm about  Christ:  "Who  loved  me  and 
gave  himself  for  me."  "  Kemember  them  that 
have  the  rule  over  you."  "  Whose  faith  follow, 
considering    the    end    of    their    conversation: 


62  PAUL'S  ESTIMATE  OF  HIMSELF 

Jesus  Christ,  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and 
forever."  "  I  can  do  all  thing^s  throuofh  Christ 
Avhich  strengtheneth  me."  "  Who  shall  separate 
us  from  the  love  of  Christ  ?  Shall  tribulation, 
or  distress,  or  persecution,  or  nakedness,  or  peril, 
or  sword  ?  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more 
than  conquerors  through  him  that  loved  us." 

This  wonderful  change  was  not  by  a  gradual 
process  of  amendment;  it  was  an  instantaneous 
change.  "Suddenly  there  shone  upon  him  a 
light  from  heaven  above  the  brightness  of  the 
sun.''  As  one  brought  to  life  has  his  powers  of 
body  and  nlind  put  in  action,  though  for  a  few 
days  feebly,  yet  each  hour  gaining  strength, 
so  this  marvel  of  regenerating  grace  became  a 
new  creature,  "and  straightway  he  preached 
Chiist  in  the  synagogues  that  he  was  the  Son  of 
God." 

Let  any  one  of  us  imagine  a  change  of  any 
kind  to  happen  to  him.  Suppose  yourself  to  be 
invested  with  a  power  to  read  strange  languages. 
A  friend  lately  gave  me  a  book  consisting  of  one 
of  the  creeds  composed  of  twenty-four  articles, 
printed  in  thirty-three  tongues.  A  few  of  them 
I  could  read,  the  rest  were  unintelligible,  though 
in  the  English  characters,  but  the  larger  part  of 
them,  the  Russian,  the  Chinese,  the  Assyrian, 
the  Ethiopic,  were  in  strange  letters.  Suppose 
that  a  power  were  given  you  at  once  to  read  such 


BEFORE  AND   AFTER   CONVERSION.  63 

a  book  from  beginning  to  end,  or  that  you  had 
the  ability  to  travel  from  star  to  star ;  or,  sup- 
pose that  any  other  bodily  or  mental  faculty 
equally  marvelous,  became  j^ours  to-day  at  noon, 
and  in  a  week  you  found  yourself  using  these 
faculties  as  familiarly  as  though  you  had  always 
possessed  them. 

Paul  thus -suddenly  found  himself  worship- 
ping, loving,  and  with  all  his  mind  and  strength 
serving  a  man  of  Galilee,  who  he  knew  had  been 
nailed  to  a  cross  between  thieves,  then  was  placed 
in  a  tomb,  and  stolen  from  it,  he  believed,  by  his 
friends,  whom  he  himself  was  engaged  but 
lately  in  tempting,  while  torturing  them  to  blas- 
pheme. 

Standing  chief  among  equals  he  had  the  pre- 
eminence, and  kept  the  raiment  of  the  men  who 
stoned  the  first  Christian  martyr.  In  two  or 
three  weeks,  or  less,  he  was  preaching  in  the 
synagogues  that  this  same  Jesus  is  the  Son  of 
God.  Such  is  converting  grace  ;  in  all  men  the 
same,  notwithstanding  the  phenomenal  circum- 
stances may  be  wanting ;  yet  suUstantially,  the 
change  is  in  every  regenerated  man  the  same. 
We  perceive  that  one  who  had  experienced  it, 
must  have  had  a  different  estimate  of  himself 
before  and  after  it  took  place. 

Two  things  appear  to  have  been  the  secret  of 
the  power  wrought  by  Ol^ofl^^^^e  mind  of 
Paul.  ^r^^  ^  ^'^'       ^'*^ 

^ufivbrsitt; 


^rr^Tut^^ 


64  Paul's  estimate  of  himself 

I.     Christ  made  him  feel  for  the  first 

TIME  THAT  HE  WAS  A  SINNER. 

That  was  a  new  idea  to  liim.  He  a  sinner? 
He  had  never  sinned,  he  thought,  beyond  the 
common  frailties  of  men.  To  atone  for  this,  he 
had  fasted,  worn  broad  passages  of  Scripture  on 
his  dress,  kept  the  Levitical  law  punctiliously, 
persecuted  the  Christians  who  offended  against 
the  religion  of  the  Old  Testament.  Hear  the 
man  that  once  had  no  idea  that  he  could  be 
classed  among  sinners,  afterward  say,  "Jesus 
Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners  of 
whom  I  am  chief." 

We  hear  him  who  once  had  such  an  estimate 
of  himself  as  this,  "  touching  the  righteousness 
which  is  of  the  law,  blameless,"  afterward  say, 
"in  me,  that  is,  in  my  flesh,  dwelleth  no  good 
thing."  How  can  we  account  for  this?  There 
is  no  such  teacher  of  self  knowledge  as  Christ. 
When  he  takes  possession  of  the  soul,  he  makes 
a  light  shine  through  it  brighter  than  the  sun. 

"All  the  churches  shall  know  that  I  am  he 
that  searcheth  the  hearts  and  trieth  the  reins  of 
the  children  of  men."  Simeon  said  to  his  mother, 
"This  Child  is  set  for  the  fall  and  rising  again 
of  many  in  Israel,  and  tliat  the  thoughts  of  many 
hearts  may  be  revealed."  The  woman  of  Sama- 
ria understood  this  when  she  left  her  water  pot 


BEFORE  AND  AFTEE  CONVERSION.     65 

at  the  well  and  went  into  the  city  and  said, 
"  Come,  see  a  man  that  told  me  all  that  ever  I 
did  ;  is  not  this  the  Christ  ?  " 

I  quote  the  language  of  learned  men  from  their 
biographies,  that  the  disclosures  made  to  them 
under  conviction  of  sin  has  opened  to  them  a 
knowledge  of  their  nature  more  than  they  have 
learned  from  books.  Said  an  eminent  man  who 
late  in  life  became  a  Christian,  "I  once  thought 
myself  as  good  as  any  who  lived,  or  had  lived ; 
but  in  one  day,  reading  the  New  Testament,  I 
suddenly  became  convinced  that  probably  thei'e 
never  was  a  heart  which  was  worse  than  mine." 
So  Paul :  "  I  was  alive  without  the  law  once  ; 
but  when  the  commandment  came  sin  revived 
and  I  died."  All  who  have  passed  through  this 
experience  declare,  that  the  belief  of  the  aton- 
ing death  of  Christ  for  sin,  brings  into  the  mind 
a  marvelous  experience.  Everything  seems  to 
be  revolutionized,  and  all  this  in  consequence  of 
perceiving  "  how  that  Christ  died  for  our  sins 
according  to  the  Scriptures.  Finding  himself 
under  condemnation  as  a  sinner  with  no  means 
of  recovery, 

II,  Paxil  discovered  that  through  faith 
IN  Christ  a  righteousness  is  provided  for 
the  sinner. 


66  PAUL  S   ESTIMATE  OF  HIMSELF 

This  is  safer  than  the  righteousness  which 
Adam  had,  or  the  angels  that  sinned  ;  for  Adam 
and  fallen  angels  lost  their  original  righteous- 
ness:    Dr  Watts  says : 

"  He  raised  me  from  the  deep  of  sin, 

The  gates  of  gaping  hell. 
And  fixed  my  standing  more  secure 
Than  'twas  before  I  fell." 

For  the  righteousness  which  is  imputed  to  one 
who  believes  in  Christ  cannot  be  lost ;  it  is  "  the 
righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith,"  not  of 
man,  by  his  works.  So  that  it  is  better  than  the 
state  of  the  first  parents  of  our  race,  better  than 
that  of  the  angels  who  stood  on  their  original 
sinlessness.  Therefore,  Paul  made  this  the 
theme  of  his  principal  epistle,  the  Epistle  to  the 
Romans.  Salvation  by  faith  in  Christ  is  thence- 
forth his  theme.  Through  life  it  was  uppermost 
in  his  thoughts.  I  cannot  illustrate  it  better 
than  by  the  following  case.  I  was  called  to 
see  an  intelligent  young  lady  who  was  sup- 
posed to  be  near  her  end.  Though  I  Avent 
as  soon  as  requested,  she  exclaimed,  "  You 
have  come  too  late  !  "  adding,  that  she  had  sin- 
ned away  the  day  of  grace.  I  told  her  that  I 
would  disprove  this  by  one  passage  of  Scripture  ; 
but  as  I  was  saying  this,  the  mother,  a  Christian 
woman,  interrupted  me  by  asking  that  I  would 
not  sit  so   near   the  bed  as  to  touch  the  bed 


BEFOEE  AND  APTER  CONVEESION.     67 

clothes,  for  the  patient  liad  a  brain  fever,  and 
the  least  jar  or  touch  seemed  almost  to  distract 
her.  The  passage,  I  said,  was  this :  "  To  him 
that  worketh  not,  but  belie veth  on  him  that  jus- 
tifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  to  him 
for  rigliteousness."  Helpless  as  she  was,  she 
turned  herself  over  in  the  bed  and  said,  "  What  I 
are  such  words  in  the  Bible  ?  Say  them  again." 
After  repeating  them,  I  said,  "  If  one  feels  that 
he  has  nothing  to  offer  to  God,  but  simply  puts 
his  trust  in  Him  who  died  for  him,  pleading  His 
merits  instead  of  his  own,  his  faith  is  imputed 
to  him  for  righteousness.  A  calm  came  over  lier 
troubled  thoughts  —  she  fell  into  a  peaceful 
sleep.  I  said  to  her,  on  her  recovery,  as  Paul 
said,  "  Eneas,  Jesus  Christ  maketh  thee  whole." 

We  meet  with  many  who^are  acknowledged  to 
be  eminently  moral  people,  patterns  of  amiable 
tempers,  generous,  and  as  Paul  said  of  himself, 
"  blameless." 

He  tells  us  that,  before  his  conversion,  he  was 
as  good  as  they.  "  If  any  other  man  thinketh 
that  lie  hath  whereof  he  may  trust  in  the  flesh, 
I  more."  He  felt  that  he  was  so  good  that  he 
was  willing  to  have  Stephen  put  to  death:  "and 
when  the  blood  of  the  martyr  Stephen  was  shed, 
I  also  was  consenting  unto  his  death,  and  kept 
the  raiment  of  them  that  slew  him."  In  one 
hour  he  met  with  a  change  which  made  him  a 


68  PAUL'S  ESTIMATE  OF  HIMSELF 

new  man,  because  he  became  acquainted  with 
Jesus  Christ  as  the  atoning  Saviour. 

We  infer  from  his  preaching  that  the  impres- 
sion which  Christ  made  upon  him  was,  that  he 
came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners.  Tiiis  made 
him  feel  that  he  was  a  sinner ;  that  his  righteous- 
ness was  worthless ;  he  could  not  be  saved 
by  it ;  while  he  had  Avhereof  to  glory,  yet  not  in 
the  sight  of  God.  When  he  came  to  see  his  need 
of  perfeciion  in  order  to  be  justified,  he  saw  that 
it  was  not  attainable  by  him ;  that  it  was  pro- 
vided for  sinners  by  God,  an  imputed  righteous- 
ness constituted  by  the  merits  of  the  Saviour ;  a 
righteousness  without  works,  perfection  imputed 
to  one  deserving  of  hell,  a  constructive  perfec- 
tion through  faith  in  him  who  imputes  his  merits 
to  the  sinner  that  believes  in  him,  and  reckons 
faith  for  righteousness.  Such  is  the  plan  of  sal- 
vation by  Christ,  that  it  is  declared  to  be  "  the 
power  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  God." 

The  disclosure  to  him  of  this  way  of  justifica- 
tion made  him  feel  as  nothing  else  ever  did  that 
he  might  be  a  sinner  indeed,  if  he  needed  such 
justification.  The  ability  of  Christ  to  make  a 
perfect  righteousness  not  onl}^  for  him,  but  for 
the  whole  world,  seems  to  have  convinced  him, 
without  argument,  of  the  Saviour's  divinity ;  and 
he  began  at  once  to  preach  Christ  crucified,  to 
offer  salvation  to  all  men.     The  Avail  of  separa- 


BEFORE  AND  AFTER  CONVERSION.     69 

tion  between  Jew  and  Gentile  disappeared  at 
once  from  his  view  ;  he  proclaimed  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  which  is  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ, 
given  to  every  human  being  for  nothing. 

He  saw  that  he  must  come  without  meritorious 
preparation,  waiting  for  no  repentance,  no  re- 
morse for  sin  ;  that  faith  in  the  atoning  sacrifice 
must  be  the  one  all-sufficient  act  of  every  sin- 
ner, which  will  be  followed  spontaneously  by 
godly  sorrow  working  repentance  unto  life. 

Paul  saw  that  "  if  the  righteousness  of  God  " 
by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  was  the  appointed  way 
of  pardon,  then  he  never  could  be  good  enough 
to  be  saved  by  his  own  merits.  After  being  jus- 
tified by  faith  through  the  redemption  that  is  iu 
Christ  Jesus,  he  might  become  as  nearly  perfect 
as  human  nature  is  capable  of  being.  But  no 
one  was  ever  saved  by  this,  nor  can  be,  for 
"  Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other ;  for 
there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven,  given 
among  men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved." 

It  is  deeply  interesting  to  know  that  this  case 
of  Paul's  conversion,  was  intended  as  a  pattern 
of  all  cases  of  conversion  from  his  day.  No  one 
can  suppose  that  circumstances  of  hours,  place, 
language,  and  all  the  other  incidents  of  each  in- 
dividual can  be  the  same,  any  more  than  the  un- 
essential incidents  of  stature,  place,  and  weather. 


70  Paul's  estimate  of  himself. 

But  this  passage  makes  it  plain  that  conversions 
are  the  same  all  around  the  globe.  "  Howbeit, 
for  this  cause  I  obtained  mercy,  that  in  me  first 
Jesus  Christ  might  show  forth  all  long-suffering 
for  a  pattern  to  them  which  should  hereafter  be- 
lieve on  him  to  life  everlasting." 

It  is  loving-kindness  in  God,  our  Saviour,  that 
He  works  by  a  plan  in  redemption,  doing  the 
self  same  things  for  all  from  age  to  age  ;  from 
Paul  to  each  heir  of  grace  in  our  day.  Let  ever}' 
one,  therefore,  looking  to  Christ  for  converting 
mercy  be  assured  of  this,  that  "  the  same  Lord 
over  all  is  rich  unto  all  that  call  upon  him." 
There  is  great  encouragement  in  this  to  every 
one  who  may  now  and  hereafter  be  a  suppliant 
for  his  grace.  Perhaps,  some  of  us  may  be 
tempted  to  think,  "  there  never  was  such  a  sinner 
as  I ;  no  one  ever  trespassed  against  such  long- 
suffering,  abused  such  forbearance."  Let  him 
who  is  tempted  thus  to  test  the  willingness  of 
Christ  to  make  him  a  subject  of  his  grace,  re- 
member, that  the  man  who  said  that  "Jesus 
Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  of 
whom  I  am  chief,"  sets  himself  forever  as  a  pat- 
tern of  tlie  Saviour's  long-suffering  to  them  who 
from  that  time  forth  should  believe  on  him  to  life 
everlasting. 

You  may  prove  that  He  is  able  and  willing  to 
save  you,  by  believing  on  Him,  "  to-day." 


IV. 


GOD    OUR   DWELLlNa,   AND  IN  OUR 
DWELLING, 

"  He  that  dwelleth  in  the  secret  place  of  the  Most  High,  shall  abide  under 
the  shadow  of  the  Almighty."  —  Psalm  91 :  i. 

WHERE  is  the  secret  place  of  the  Most 
High  ?  There  is  such  a  place,  a  habita- 
ble place,  for  the  text  speaks  of  dwelling  there. 

We  can  find  it  by  two  spiritual  lines  of  meas- 
urement, as  by  latitude  and  longitude  at  sea. 
Longitude  is  not  sufficient  of  itself,  nor  latitude, 
but  bring  the  two  together,  and  a  child  who  has 
used  a  map  knows  how  we  determine  places. 

These  two  measures,  both  of  which  being  used, 
determine  the  question  suggested  by  the  text. 
As  there  can  be  no  other  place  like  this  in  which 
a  man  can  abide,  it  is  an  inconceivable  privilege 
to  liave  directions  by  which  we  can  find  it.  This 
we  can  do  with  more  certainty  than  we  can  find 
latitude  and  longitude.  We  will  call  it  the  rule 
of  spiritual  latitude  and  longitude.     The  longi- 


72  GOD    OUR   DWELLING, 

tude,  we  will  say,  is  the  omnipresence  of  God. 
All  do  not  practically  believe  tliat  God  is  every- 
where. "  He  that  cometh  to  God  must  believe 
that  he  is,"  we  may  say  without  assumption.  But 
tliis  is  not  enough.  Many  will  acknowledge  this 
in  words,  while  they  have  no  realizing  sense  of 
it,  as  it  is  called,  which  makes  it  of  practical 
value. 

To  know  the  longitude  at  sea  would  be  of  lit- 
tle use  without  another  element  in  the  calcula- 
tion, the  latitude ;  as  to  know  the  latitude  with- 
out the  longitude  leaves  themariiler  bewildered. 
Frequently,  a  passing  ship  will  set  her  signals 
to  inquire  of  another  ship.  What  is  your  longi- 
tude ?  though  the  latitude  may  have  been  deter- 
mined by  the  sun  at  noon.  Hence  the  other  ele- 
ment of  measure  to  find  the  secret  place  of  tlie 
Most  High,  though  we  know  him  to  be  every- 
where, is,  A  praying  heart. 

As  there  is  not  a  place  on  laiid  or  at  sea  whose 
location  cannot  be  determined  by  the  two  meas- 
ures already  given,  so  every  place  in  this,  world 
of  faith,  which  serves  for  sight,  can  be  determined 
whether  it  be  the  secret  place  of  the  Most  High. 
For  as  one  does  not  know  at  sea  where  he  is, 
without  reckoning,  so  no  oi>e  knows  any  place  in 
the  secret  place  of  the  Most  High,  unless  he 
brings  these  two  things  in  conjunction.  1st,  God 
is  here.     2d,  I  desire  to  draw  near  to   Him  in 


AND  IN  OUR  DWELLING.  16 

prayer.  By  these  two  elements  you  may  infal- 
libly ascertain  that  your  heart  is  the  secret  place 
of  the  Most  High. 

It  is  interesting  to  know  that  the  place  here  men- 
tioned is  not  confined  to  one  spot.  A  man  may  al- 
ways live  under  the  same  tent;  the  place  where 
he  eats  and  sleeps  will  always  be  a  secret  place  to 
him ;  yet  the  tent  may  be  moveable,  sometimes 
in  a  valley,  then  on  the  side  of  a  hill ;  then  upon 
tlie  hill  top.  So  the  secret  place  of  the  Most 
Pligh  is  moveable.  At  the  risk  of  dwelling  too 
long  on  the  figure,  I  will  venture  to  say,  that  as 
there  is  no  latitude  at  the  poles,  no  longitude  at 
Greenwich,  because  longitude  is  the  distance 
east  or  west  from  Greenwich  and  latitude  is  the 
distance  from  either  pole,  this  represents  that 
which  heaven  will  be  to  us,  where  there  are  no 
seeming  distances  from  God ;  for  we  shall  no  more 
walk  by  faith  but  by  continual  sight.  But  on 
earth  in  all  our  journeyings  toward  heaven,  we 
have  constant  need  to  find  the  secret  place  of  the 
Most  High,  that  is,  a  place  of  communion  with 
God. 

The  promise  in  the  text  is  to  such  as  make 
praying  their  breath ;  who  hold  continued  com- 
munion with  God,  referring  all  things  to  him  as 
their  fixed  habit ;  breathing  out  love,  adoration, 
confession,  supplication,  more  intimately  than 
they   commune    with  the   dearest  friend.     The 


74  GOD   OUR  DWELLING, 

promise  is,  that  they  shall  a])i(le  under  the  shadow 
of  the  Almighty.  This  may  signify  several 
tilings,  as  1st,  Nearness.  A  child  walking  with 
you  abides  under  your  shadow  ;  you  are  never 
far  from  him,  you  keep  him  in  sight,  within 
reach.  2d,  Protection  ;  you  shade  him  against 
sun-stroke.  So  "  the  sun  shall  not  smite  them 
by  day." 

As  though  encouraged  by  the  declaration  in 
this  verse,  this  good  man  resolves  to  make  ex- 
periment of  it.  "  I  will  say  of  the  Lord  he  is 
my  refuge,  and  my  fortress."  Such  is  the  life  of 
one  who  is  godly.  He  applies  the  principles  of 
earthly  friendship  to  intercourse  with  God.  Not 
a  day  passes  when  we  do  not  need  a  refuge  from 
apprehension.  This  good  man  says,  "  Be  thou 
my  strong  habitation  whereunto  I  may  continu- 
ally resort." 

There  are  assaults  of  conscience,  temptation- 
affliction,  calamity,  pain.  "  I  will  say  of  the 
Lord,  He  is — my  QodJ'''  Every  thing  seems  to  be 
summed  up  in  these  two  words.  They  are  the 
best  which  we  can  use  ;  they  were  the  best  which 
the  Saviour  could  employ  in  the  hour  of  his 
greatest  need.  "  My  God,  my  God  !  "  He  who 
can  affectionately  adopt  them  has  all  things.  He 
never  need  fear.  He  may  say,  "  In  him  will  I 
trust." 

Some  one  here  seems  to  speak  in  reply :  "Surely 


AND   IN   OUB  DWELLING.  75 

he  shall  deliver  thee  from  the  snare  of  the 
fowler  and  from  the  noisome  pestilence."  Tire 
snare  of  the  fowler  is  the  peril  of  birds ;  they 
more  easily  see  the  sportsman  and  fly;  but  the 
snare  with  leaves  and  grain  scattered  over  it,  is 
laid  in  secret.  Such  is  our  source  of  danger. 
We  do  not  see  what  a  mistake  we  are  about  to 
fall  into  in  a  bargain,  or  investment,  or  friend- 
ship, or  connection.  Pei'haps  a  winning  pleasure 
is  cunningly  devised  by  the  great  fowler  for  your 
soul.  God's  eye  is  on  you  when  yours  is  not  on 
him,  if  it  be  your  habit  to  dwell  with  God. 

We  look  back  in  the  course  of  the  day  in  which 
we  have  experienced  some  great  blessing,  and 
remember  that  we  reproached  ourselves  with  not 
using  such  importunity  or  child-like  love  as  would 
have  been  becoming ;  or  perhaps  a  sudden  call 
prevented  our  devotion  ;  yet  a  wonderful  mercy, 
or,  some  gratifying  intelligence  has  arrived,  and 
we  say,  "  Thou  preventest  me  with  the  blesshigs 
of  goodness,"  anticipatest  my  wishes.  You  know 
by  your  words  that  you  dwell  in  the  secret  place 
of  the  Most  High,  and  God  has  rewarded  you  by 
looking  after  your  interests. 

We  cannot  estimate  the  benefit  of  frequent 
prayer.  Influences  to  prayer  should  be  followed ; 
impressions  which  come  over  us  when  at  work,  or 
reading,  or  journeying,  or  waking  from  sleep. 
"  Prayer  and  provender  hinder  no  man's  journey." 


76  GOD   OUR  DWELLING, 

God  stirs  us  up  to  pra}-,  it  may  be,  because  he 
sees  our  coming  need,  or,  because  he  will  do  us 
some  ^ood  and  would  prepare  us  for  it. 

Birds  flying  into  noxious  atmosphere  sometimes 
fall  dead.  There  was  nothing  to  mark  between 
the  pure  and  pestilential  air.  Thus,  perhaps,  we 
are  venturing  into  error  by  hearing  or  reading 
something,  or  resorting  to  baleful  companies. 
God  may,  perhaps,  restrain  you  while  you  are  not 
aware  of  it.  You  may  wonder  at  some  accident 
or  interruption  which  kept  you  from  going  some- 
where, as  you  intended  ;  you  murmured,  perhaps, 
at  the  rain  or  snow  storm,  you  were  disappointed, 
but  God  was  thereby  delivering  you  from  the 
noisome  pestilence.  We  see  calamity  happen  to 
others  through  foolish  mistakes.  God  has  cov- 
ered you  with  his  feathers.  Under  protection 
from  the  parent  bird,  its  young  lie  safe  from  the 
fowling  piece,  arrow,  or  bird  of  prey. 

One  source  of  security  to  the  good  is  confi- 
dence in  the  truth  of  God.  It  serves  as  a  shield 
and  buckler.  It  was  so  with  Joseph  in  Egypt, 
with  Daniel  in  Babylon,  and  the  three  cliildren 
in  the  fiery  furnace  ;  such  is  their  safety,  that  if 
a  plague  raged,  and  thousands  die,  they  may  es- 
cape. In  battle,  no  weapon  formed  against  them 
may  prosper. 

It  is  related  in  the  life  of  Washington,  that  an 
Indian  took  aim  at  him  several  times  when  he 


AND   IN  OUR   DWELLING.  77 

had  reason  to  expect  to  see  him  fall,  and  he  won- 
dered thiit  liis  shot  failed.  Perhaps  he  who  guided 
David's  sling  turned  aside  the  rifle-ball.  I  heard 
a  minister  say  in  his  pulpit -that  he  knew  a  man 
who  came  to  a  friend's  Jiouse  at  midnight,  on 
horse  back  in  a  storm  of  rain,  to  the  astonishment 
of  the  family  who  knew  that  the  bridge  had  been 
carried  aWay.  In  the  morning  they  went  to  the 
river  and  found  one  of  the  timbers  standing  in 
the  place  across  the  stream,  serving  for  a  path  to 
the  horse's  feet,  so  that  the  horse  with  more  than 
animal  sagacity,  gave  ]jis  rider  to  say  of  Him 
who  preserved  man  and  beast,  "  He  maketh  my 
feet  like  Jiind's  feet."  But  terrible  oftentimes  is 
the  end  of  the  wicked.  "  Surely  thou  didst  set 
them  in  slippery  places." 

True,  one  event  outwardly  seerhs  often  to  hap- 
pen to  all,  both  to  the  righteous  and  the  wicked ; 
but  far  different  to  good  men  and  bad  men  is 
death  by  accident.  Sudden  death  is  sudden 
glory  to  the  good,  while  to  the  wicked  it  is  sud- 
den destruction. 

In  cases  of  detection,  exposure,  conviction, 
"only  with  their  eyes  shall  they  behold  and  see 
the  reward  of  the  wicked."  Then  to  the  good 
man  is  known  the  blessedness  of  a  good  con- 
science. Many  are  the  congratulations  in  the 
book  of  Pisalms  and  in  Job  to  a  good  man,  in  con- 
trast with  the  fate  of  the  wicked.     The  sense  of 


78  GOD   OUR   DWELLING, 

safety  which  the  righteous  man  has  when  he 
pours  out  his  heart  to  his  preserver,  appealing  to 
him  for  a  witness,  "  Thou  knowest  that  I  am  not 
wicked,"  is  a  full  recompense  for  self-denial  in 
refusing  to  court  human  praise. 

God  loves  and  rewards  confidence  in  him. 
We  are  moved  to  do  the  same  when  it  is  showed 
to  us.  Few  things  are  more  grateful  to  us.  We 
are  always  liable  to  suspicion  in  some  minds. 
You  do  things  which  perhaps  you  cannot  explain. 
Some,  therefore,  speak  ill  of  you,  and  forsake 
you.  Others  give  you  credit  for  good  motives 
when  some  things  are  dark.  So  we  are  led  to 
feel  confidence  in  God.  Then,  "because  thou 
hast  made  the  Lord,  which  is  thy  refuge,  even 
the  Most  High,  thy  habitation  ;  there  shall  no  evil 
befall  thee,  neither  shall  any  plague  come 
nigh  thy  dwelling." 

Strange  promise  in  such  an  evil  world  as  this : 
"  there  shall  no  evil  befall  thee."  It  will  prove 
to  be  "  no  evil."  The  promises  are  fulfilled  by 
equivalents  ;  thereby  faith  is  encouraged,  per- 
haps rewarded.  If  we  take  God  as  he  offers 
himself  to  us,  he  takes  us  with  all  our  concerns, 
our  frailties,  mistakes  ;  he  identifies  us  with  him- 
self;  it  is  practically  the  same  as  though  every 
one  who  makes  God  his  refuge,  his  habitation, 
were  omnipotent.  "  If  God  be  for  us,"  not  only 
who   is,  but  "  who  can  be  against  us  ? "     The 


AND  IN  OUR  DWELLING.  79 

forces  of  the  universe  are  on  oUr  side.  Think 
of  the  meaning  in  such  words  as  these  :  "  thy 
habitation."  Then,  God  is  our  dwelling.  What 
is  your  dwelling  to  you  ?  Such  is  God.  Nor  is  it 
an  accidental  expression  ;  "  he  that  loveth  dwel- 
leth  in  God  and  God  in  hhn."  Can  any  plague 
come  nigh  such  a  dwelling  to  do  real  harm  ?  But 
dwellings  can  be  plagued  in  other  ways  than  by 
pestilence.  We  experience  other  forms  of  sal- 
vation when  we  are  kept  from  being  plagued,  by 
evil  dispositions,  from  annoyances  which  make 
life  burdensome.  When  sickness  is  healed,  and 
the  joy  of  restoration  succeeds  trouble,  rich 
fruits  of  gratitude,  spiritual  benefits  of  many 
kinds,  compensate  for  the  sickness  ;  that  which  is 
called  an  evil  is  converted  into  a  blessing. 

Ko  doubt  there  are  angels  in  the  dwelling  of 
every  one  who  fears  God.  If  we  thought  that 
angels  were  moving  about  in  our  habitations, 
those  dwellings  would  seem  hallowed.  "  He 
shall  give  his  angels  charge  over  thee  to  keep 
thee  in  all  thy  ways."  God  says.  Behold  my 
servant  is  beginning  a  journey,  or  entering  into  a 
ship.  Go  with  him  in  all  his  ways.  Keep  the 
ship  from  collisions  ;  fly  before  the  locomotive ; 
see  that  the  track  is  right,  watch  every  revolution 
of  the  wheels,  "  lest  at  any  time  he  dash  his 
foot  against  a  stone." 

If  it  be  necessary  in  order  to  accomplish  some 


80  GOD  OUR   DWELLING, 

important  purpose  that  there  should  be  ship- 
wreck or  other  cahimity,  He  can  sa}^,  Guard  Ijis 
life ;  defend  the  vital  part ;  he  is  an  heir  of 
glory ;  minister  to  liim. 

Every  one  who  discharges  his  duty,  sooner  or 
later  meets  with  opposition.  All  who  live  godly  in 
Christ  Jesus  will  suffer  some  form  of  tribulation. 
It  is  easy  in  some  cases  to  evade  it.  Some  dread 
responsibility  ;  which  it  is  true  we  ought  neither 
to  seek  nor  shun  ;  but  when  God  lays  it  upon  us, 
we  may  incur  both  secret  and  open  hostilities. 
There  is  "  the  lion  and  adder,"  the  dragon,  with 
power  at  least  to  terrify.  If  you  have  truth  on 
your  side,  if  you  meekly  trust  in  God,  he  will 
cause  you  to  tread  on  them  all.  "  Behold  I  will 
make  them  which  are  of  the  synagogue  of  Satan 
which  say  they  are  Jews,  and  are  not,  but  do  lie, 
behold  I  will  make  them  to  come  and  to  worship 
at  thy  feet,  and  to  know  that  I  have  loved 
thee." 

Not  by  our  own  right  hand  or  wisdom  will  this 
appear ;  God  will  shape  events,  who  alone  doeth 
wonders.  He  can  turn  the  Euphrates  from  its 
channel  in  one  night,  and  fill  Babylon  with  her 
enemies  as  with  caterpilhirs;  He  can  make  a  barley 
cake  tumble  into  the  camp  of  Alidian  and  over- 
throw a  multitude  ;  He  can  cause  an  iron  gate 
to  open  of  its  ''  own  accord,"  and  let  the  won- 
dering prisoner  pass  through ;  He  can  make  even 


AND  IN  OUR  DWELLING.  81 

tlie  wrath  of  man  to  praise  him  and  restrain  the 
remainder.  He  turns. the  tides  of  popular  feel- 
ing. To-day  one  is  caressed,  to-morrow  the 
.world  is  in  arms  against  him.  Yesterday  one 
was  contemned,  to-morrow  there  may  be  none 
like  him  in  almost  universal  esteem.  Now  a  set 
of  principles  are  repudiated ;  soon  they  are 
adopted  as  the  only  salvation. 

A  good  man  seldom  need  go  about  to  defend 
his  character  by  hunting  down  reports.  He  has 
onl}^  to  do  right,  trust  in  God,  and  everything 
will  be  well.  People  often  judge  at  once  by  re- 
sults. If  a  viper  fastens  on  a  man's  hand,  the 
barbarians  think  that  he  is  doomed;  but  when 
he  shakes  it  off  feeling  no  harm,  they  change 
their  minds  and  say  that  he  is  a  god. 

Now .  God  speaks,  confirming  the  Psalmist's 
woids ;  and  we  cannot  doubt  that  the  Most 
High  reciprocates  every  act  of  love  :  "  Because 
he  hath  set  his  love  upon  me,  therefore  will  I 
deliver  him."  There  never  was  any  .misplaced 
confidence  in  God,  however  we  may  have  erred 
in  our  judgment  of  ourselves.  "  For  the  Lord  is 
good  to  them  that  wait  for  him,  to  the  soul  that 
seeketh  him.  The  prophet  Isaiah  says,  "  For 
since  the  beginning  of  the  world  men  have  not 
heard,  what  he  hath  prepared  for  liim  that  wait- 
eth  for  him." 

Not  only  will  God  deliver  the  righteous  man : 

)^  Of  tbgr"^ 


82  GOD   OUR  DWELLING, 

"I  will  set  him  on  hic^li  because  lie  liath  known 
my  name."  It  would  not  always  be  safe  for  God 
to  set  us  on  high ;  it  is  only  safe  wlieri  lie  has 
made  us  humble ;  when  we  have  forborne  to 
avenge  ourselves.  If  one  undertakes  to  avenge 
himself,  God  may  stand  aloof  and  let  him  try. 
But  if  we  have  made  him  our  strong  tower 
into  which  we  run  for  safety,  in  due  time  he  not 
only  delivers  us,  but  sets  us  on  high.  •  He  causes 
us  to  triumph ;  lie  exalts  us  above  destruction, 
shields  us  from  malice,  gives  us  signal  prosperity. 
What  can  be  better  than  this :  "  He  shall  call 
upon  me  and  I  will  answer  him."  Let  God  an- 
swer when  we  speak,  and  all  is  well.  Let  a  rich 
man  say  that  he  will  honor  any  draft  you  may 
make  upon  him,  and  it  may  put  you  at  ease.  Let 
one  feel  that  he  has  only  to  speak  and  friends 
come  and  stand  around  him ;  and  he  is  at  peace. 
But  will  he  never  be  troubled  T  God  says  that 
he  will.  "I  will  be  with  him  in  trouble."  We 
are  not  worth  much  till  we  have  been  in  trouble. 
We  would  not  part  with  troubles  which  we  feel 
have  been  blest  to  us.  You  would  not  but  have 
had  a  sorrow  which  has  proved  a  spiritual  bles- 
sing. What  would  Daniel  now  take  for  the 
lions'  den?  or  the  Hebrew  children  for  their 
being  cast  into  Nebuchadnezzar's  furnace  ?  or 
Peter,  for  his  experience  in  Herod's  prison  ?  or 
John,  for  his  history  while  in  the  isle  which  is 
called  Patmos  ? 


AND   IN   OUR  DWELLING.  83 

The  best  thing  which  God  can  do  for  a  man 
sometimes,  is  to  put  him  in  a  phice  like  one  of 
these,  aiid  be  with  him  in  it.  Truly,  this  may 
be  better  than  prosperity.  When  we  are  in  pros- 
perity he  may  only  keep  us  there.  But  if  he  is 
with  us  in  trouble  he  says,  "  I  will  deliver  him 
and  honor  him."  It  makes  men  afraid  when  they 
see  God  appear  in  behalf  of  a  man.  As  we  read 
the  songs  (f  Hannah  and  Mar}',  we  are  particu- 
larly struck  with  their  allusions  to  theii*  enemies, 
the  exultation  with  which  they  triumph  over  ad- 
versaries. We  are  made  to  sa}",  "  Blessed  are 
all  they  that  put  their  trust  in  him." 

Thus  it  will  be  with  the  righteous  till  life  has 
been  so'  full  of  the  goodness  of  God  that  the 
man  will  say,  It  is  enough.  When  his  time  to 
die  arrives,  though  it  be  sudden,  he  may  start, 
nature  may  tremble  ;  but  soon  he  grows  calm  and 
reflects:  I  have  had  full  experience  of  God's 
love ;  all  that  life  can  teach  me  and  do  for  me, 
I  have  known  ;  its  J03's,  its  trials  have  had  their 
designed  effect  upon  me. 

"  Why  should  not  fruit  when  it  is  mellow,  fall  ; 
What  do  we  longer  here  when  God  doth  call  ?  " 

By  "  showing  him  my  salvation,"  God  does  not 
mean  merely  ""bring  him  safely  to  heaven,"  but 
in  getting  him  there  will  reveal  the  w^onders  of 
the  way. 


84  GOD   OUR  DWELLING, 

A  party  of  persecuted  Huguenots  fled,  and 
mounted  up  a  high  place  in  a  stormy  night. 
When  the  sun  rose  they  came  down  and  saw  the 
way  by  which  they  came,  narrow,  precipitous, 
full  of  sudden  turns.  They  stood  and  prayed, 
and  sung ;  God  showed  them  his  salvation. 
Thus  3^ou  will  be  led  by  the  Most  High  and  re- 
visit all  the  eventful  places 'of  your  earthly  pil- 
grimage ;  places  now  dark  and  sad.  "  And  show 
him  my  salvation."  As  the  morning  of  the 
third  day  of  creation  broke  on  the  former  world, 
revealing  some  of  the  works  of  God  and  disclos- 
ing further  designs,  so  the  light  of  heaven  will 
fall  on  his  doings  with  you,  and  you  will  see  tliat 
all  was  good. 

We  have  been  considering  some  of  the  richest 
and  sweetest  of  the  blessings  which  God  be- 
stows on  man.  The  Psalm  which  we  have  but 
imperfectly  analyzed,  contains  in  one  of  its  pas- 
sages the  conditions  on  which  they  are  given. 
"  He  that  dwelleth  in  the  secret  place  of  the 
Most  High  shall  abide  under  the  shadow  of  the 
Almighty."  We  have  seen  that  this  pas- 
sage has  a  paraphrase  in  the  second  verse  :  "  I 
will  say  of  the  Lord,  He  is  my  refuge  and  my 
fortress  ;  my  God  ;  in  him  will  I  trust."  It  may 
seem  a  truism  to  say  that  religion  is  a  most  simple 
thing  ;  but  a  poet  has  ventured  to  say  the  same 
of  the  firmament : 


AND  IN  OUR  DWELLING.  85 

"  Like  that  which  o'er  our  head  we  see, 
Majestic  in  its  own  simplicity." 

The  Apostle  John,  in  his  Epistles,  gives  us  in 
his  style  of  thought,  some  wonderful  correspon- 
dent incidents  of  simplicity  which  awaken  sur- ' 
prise,  as  for  example  :  "  This  then  is  the  message 
wliicli  we  have  heard  of  him,  that  God  is  light, 
and  in  liim  is  no  darkness  at  all."  "  No  lie  is  of 
the  truth."  "  If  we  ask  any  thing  according  to 
his  will  he  heareth  us." 

Religion  is  to  love  God,  "to  whom  we  have 
access  by  faith,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
Religion  is  so  simple  that  the  young  may  under- 
stand it  as  well  as  the  learned.  We  see  this  con- 
firmed now  and  then  in  some  young  persons  who 
have  decided  not  to  go  the  first  half  of  the  jour- 
ney of  life  without  him  ;  that  it  is  best  to  have 
God  for  their  guard  and  guide  at  the  outset. 
Even  one  who  is  old  enough  to  have  a  conscience 
may  consider  whether  lie  is  not  old  enough  to 
love  God.  We  should  not  fail  to  notice  the  con- 
nection of  these  words  :  ''  I  love  them  that  love 
me."  We  say  then  confidently  to  the  3'oung ; 
This  Psalm  may  be  yours.  The  piece  of 
paper  on  which  it  can  be  written  is  not  so 
large  as  a  title  deed  to  a  ten  foot  dwelling; 
yet  the  Lord  who  dictated  it,  you  may  have 
made  your  refuge,  and  the  Most  High  your  habi- 
tation.    God  manifest  in  the  flesh  in  the  person 


86  GOD   OUR   DWELLING. 

of  Jesus,  who  was  once  precisely  at  j^our  age, 
and  without  whom  not  a  sparrow  falleth  to  the 
ground,  will  not  be  more  pleased  with  the  love  of 
angels,  who  always  behold  his  face,  than  He  is 
Avith  the  love  of  the  young,  whom  the  Saviour 
bids  men  take  heed  that  they  do  not  despise. 
Seek  ear^y  this  God  and  Saviour;  the  promise 
to  all  such  is,  They  shall  find  me. 

Let  every  one  set  up  an  altar  in  their  hearts 
and  at  their  hearths.  Make  God  your  dwelling, 
and  the  Most  High  will  make  your  house  His 
habitation. 


THE  JEW  AND   THE  ROMAN  WATCE- 
IJSra  THE  SEPULCHRE. 

"  Pilate  said  unto  them,  Ye  have  a  watch :  go  your  way,  make  it  as  sure  as 
you  can.  So  they  went,  and  made  the  sepulchre  sure,  sealing  the  stone,  and 
setting  a  watch."  —  Matthew  27 :   65,  66. 

HERE  we  see  the  Jew  and  the  Roman  watch- 
ing the  Sepulchre  of  Christ  while  lie  lies 
entombed.  God  was  about  to  complete  the  work 
of  man's  redemption  by  raising  up  Christ  from 
the  dead. 

Notwithstanding  their  avowed  unbelief,  we  can- 
not but  think  the  approaching  resurrection  of 
Christ  threw  a  shadow  on  the  liearts  of  his  ene- 
mies. Had  tliey  been  thoroughly  satisfied  that  he 
was  an  impostor,  all  that  they  would  need  to  show 
would  be  the  proofs  of  his  dying,  to  answer  any 
future  pretence  of  liis  being  alive.  Their  en- 
deavors to  forestall  tlie  expected  assertion  of  his 
disciples,  that  Christ  had  come  to  life,  proves  that 
they  regarded  his  resurrection  possible. 
(87) 


88  THE  JEW   AND   THE  EOMAN 

Patting  a  Uviirg  man  in  the  tomb  and  stealing 
away  the  dead  Clirist,  seem^  too  clumsy  a  trick 
to  give  the  enemies  of  Christ  any  real  apprehen- 
sion. Concerning  whom  else  did  men  ever  feel 
it  necessarj^  to  use  precautions  against  his  pre- 
tended resurrection,  beyond  an  undoubted  evi- 
dence that  he  had  died  ?  We  would  not  bring 
a  hast}^  accusjLtion  against  the  enemies  of  Christ, 
it  would  be  in  marked  contrast  with  the  evange- 
lists so  to  do.  But  when  j^ou  remember  that 
men  liad  seen  Lazarus  raised  from  the  dead  by  the 
Avord  of  Christ,  the  daughter  of  Jairus  and  the 
widow  of  Nain's  son  brought  back  from  death  by 
his  command,  would  it  not  have  been  strange 
had  they  not  expected  something  supernatural  at 
his  tomb?  Graves  had  opened  when  he  died; 
might  not  the  same  luippen  at  his  tomb  ?  The 
disciples  probabl}''  had  little  if  any  confidence 
that  he  who  could  suffer  himself  to  be  betrayed 
and  crucified,  was  able  to  make  good  any  pro- 
mise of  rising  from  the  dead. 

Guilty  consciences  frequently  will  apprehend 
dangers  when  the  innocent  -fail  to  expect  help. 
Therefore,  the  fears  of  the  Jews  were  more  than 
the  hopes  of  the  Christians  ;  so  that  they  used 
measures  to  prevent  the  evidence  of  a  resurrec- 
tion from  transpiring ;  not  merely  to  keep  thieves 
awa}^  from  the  tomb.  They  enlisted  the  Roman 
authority  to  aid  them  in  confuting  the  Saviour's 


WATCHING  THE  SEPULCHKE.  89 

promise  to  re-appear  on  the  third  da}^  The 
chief  priests  and  Pharisees  came  together  unto 
Pilate,  saying,  '*  Sir,  we  remember  that  that  de- 
ceiver said,  while  he  was  yet  alive.  After  three 
days  I  will  rise  again.  Command,  therefore, 
that  the  sepulchre  be  made  sure  until  the  third 
da}',  lest  his  disciples  come  by  night,  and  steal 
him  awa}^,  and  say  unto  the  people.  He  is  risen 
from  the  dead ;  so  the  last  error  shall  be  worse 
than  the  first."  Their  fears  of  the  resurrection 
and  their  efforts  to  prevent  it,.show  how  reason- 
able it  is  for  the  Scriptures  to  lay  such  stress  on 
the  resurrection  as-  the  crowning  proof  of  the 
Saviour's  claims.  The  life  and  the  death  of 
Christ  had  not  failed  to  make  his  enemies  feel 
uneasy.  A  voluntary  watch  could  have  sufficed 
in  ordinary  cases,  but  they  would  juive  something 
more  imperative,  an  official  guarantee  from  tiie 
government,  which  would  admit  of  no  suspicion 
nor  resistance.  Having  no  civil  authorit}^  they 
were  obliged  to  invoke  the  aid  of  the  Roman 
Pilate  for  an  official  watch.  He  granted  their 
request.  "  Ye  have  a  watch,"  (a  government 
guard  stationed  near  the  temple)  "  go  your  way, 
make  it  (the  sepulchre)  as  sure  as  ye  can.  So 
they  went  their  way  and  made  the  sepulchre  sure, 
sealing  the  stone  and  setting  a  watch."  Sealing 
it  so  that  the  soldiers  and  the  Christians  could 
not  conspire  without  detection. 


90  THE  JEW  AND   THE   ROMAN 

The  sepulchre  being  hewn  out  of  a  rock,  it  is 
supposed  that  a  shib  was  fitted  to  the  opening 
and  a  cord  was  stretched  across  it,  the  ends  of  it 
being  fastened  with  wax  bearing  an  official  seal. 
The  door,  therefore,  could  not  be  opened  without 
cutting  or  tearing  away  the  cord,  thereb}^  violat- 
ing the  government  seal.  Thus,  the  Roman 
power,  in  some  sense,  assumed  the  guardianship 
of  the  Saviour's  tomb  when  the  body  was  there. 

Doing  this,  the  Roman  government  and  the 
Jew  unwittingly  performed  a  stupendous  service 
for  the  Christian  religion.  For  it  was  important 
to  Christ  and  his  cause  that  his  dead  body  should 
not  be  removed,  and  that  even  his  friends  should 
be  prevented  from  doing  it,  though  with  the  best 
motives.  Every  thing  depended  on  his  rising 
from  the  dead  on  the  third  day,  being  proved. 
But  what  if  friends  of  his  in  their  affectionate 
zeal  to  get  possession  of  his  bod}^,  had  succeeded 
in  removing  it  from  the  sepulchre?  It  was  the 
last  resort  of  his  enemies  to  fasten  upon  them  the 
charge  that  they  had  done  this,  though  to  pre- 
vent it,  the  aid  of  the  Roman  government  had 
been  invoked.  It  was  desirable  therefore,  that 
his  friends  should  be  wholly  removed  from  all 
suspicion  of  being  able  to  get  possession  of  his 
body.  Moreover,  by  enlisting  the  Roman  govern- 
ment to  assume  the  custody  of  it  and  of  the  toaib, 
the  Jews  prevented  their  own  people  from  inter- 


WATCJEIING  THE  SEPULCHRE.  91 

feriiig  with  it;  and  thus  they  forever  barred 
themselves  from  pretending  that  they  liad  med- 
dled with  the  body,  by  doing  which  they  would 
make  it  difficult  for  the  Christians  to  prove  that 
the  identical  body  which  was  crucified  .and  buried 
had  not  disappeared.  In  the  tomb  where  he  was 
confessedly  laid,  everything  depended  on  his 
being  kept,  till  after  the  third  day.  All  the  un- 
speakably precious  interests  which  centered  in 
Christ,  required  that  his  dead  body  should  not 
be  disturbed ;  nay,  that  it  should  not  be  visited 
by  his  friends.  For  suppose,  for  example,  that 
medical  men  had  been  allowed  to  enter  that  tomb, 
it  could  be  easily  pretended  by  the  enemies  of 
Jesus  that  some  professional  skill  had  been  used 
to  "bring  Christ  to  life.  They  could  also  have 
made  the  pretext,  if  friends  had  entered  the 
tomb,  that  a  man  resembling  the  crucified  one 
had  been  placed  there  alive  and  that  the  dead 
Christ  had  been  conveyed  away  ;  and  then  a  new 
impostor  released  from  the  tomb  could  be  said  to 
have  palmed  himself  on  the  credulous  as  the 
risen  Christ. 

It  would  have  been  for  the  interest  of  the 
Christians  themselves  could  they  have  contrib- 
uted "  large  money  "  to  make  it  sure  by  means 
of  a  state  guard  that  no  one  of  them  had  ap- 
proached that  sepulchre  to  tamper  with  it.  It 
would  have  well  repaid  them  had  every  believer 


92  THE  JEW  AND   THE  EOMAN 

ill  Christ  volunteered  to  spend  the  two  nights 
and  the  one  day,  on  guard  before  the  tomb,  to 
place  it  beyond  doubt  that  it  was  He  who  had 
slept  there  that  had  returned  to  life.  But  God 
who  did  not  forsake  his  soul  in  Hades,  provided 
for  the  Saviour  a  surer  testimony.  For  we  im- 
mediately see  that  however  honestly  intended, 
so  partial,  so  interested  a  guardianship  as  that  of 
his  disciples  would  not  have  been  wise.  Tlie 
Jews  could  have  said,  The  Cliristians  had  a 
guard  of  their  own ;  of  course  they  had  oppor- 
tunity^ to  do  as  they  pleased  in  the  sepulchre. 
The  best  thing  for  the  Christians,  therefore,  was 
to  be  drawn  away  from  the  tomb.  The  less 
they  were  seen  there,  the  better  it  would  be  for 
their  reputation  with  their  enemies.  Let  those 
enemies  watch  over  the  dead  body  of  the  Lord, 
thereby  doing  the  thing  most  essential  to  plachig 
the  resurrection  beyond  all  possible  doubt.  This 
his  enemies  did  of  their  own  accord. 

Tlie  wisest  of  men  could  not  have  contrived 
so  excellent  a  scheme.  If  some  of  the  Chris- 
tians, say,  Joseph  of  Arimathea  himself,  wishing 
that  tlie  Saviour's  promise  to  rise  on  the  third 
day  should  have  a  perfectl^^  fair  triid,  had  re- 
quested Pilate  to  set  a  guard  over  the  sepulchre, 
Pilate  might  have  been  suspected  of  conniving 
to  favor  the  impression  of  the  Saviour's  having 
risen.      Pilate's  wife,   who   had   suffered   many 


WATCHING  THE  SEPULCHRE.  93 

tilings  ill  a  dream  because  of  him,  could  have 
been  charged  as  accessory  to  the  pk)t.  No,  let 
the  enemies  of  Christ  in  their  malice,  be  known 
as  having  sole  custody  of  the  Saviour's  tomb,  for 
so  they  will  be  able  to  satisfy  themselves  of  his 
resurrection  if  he  is  to  rise.  His  enemies  will 
not  surely  steal  the  body,  nor  use  surgical  arts  ; 
it  is  for  their  interest  to  keep  the  tomb  so  sealed 
up  as  to  prevent  a  resurrection,  or  a  removal  of 
the  body  which  might  give  semblance  to  a  pre- 
tended resurrection. 

That  which  no  wisdom  nor  contrivance  of  the 
Saviour's  friends  could  by  any  means  accomplish, 
was  done  for  them  without  their  agency,  by  their 
foes.  The  faithful  Joseph  and  Nicodemus  were 
superseded  as  watchers  over  the  crucified  Re- 
deemer, by  the  civil  power.  The  very  murder- 
ers of  Jesus  were  used  by  God  to  take  the  best 
possible  care  of  his  body,  and  of  his  tomb.  None 
but  God,  liowever,  could  influence  them  to  as- 
sume it.  The  Christians  could  not  have  made 
them  do  it.  Suppose  that  the  Christians  liad 
challenged  them  to  keep  watch.  Their  cowardly 
consciences,  struck  with  the  bold  assurances, 
might  have  shrunk  from  the  test. 

The  last  divinely  appointed  passover  had  now 
come.  The  moon  which  lighted  Israel  out  of 
Egypt  after  the  first,  now  rose  on  the  last  of  the 
passovers ;   their  appointment  receiving  its  ful- 


94  THE  JEW  AND   THE   ROMAN 

filment  in  the  completed  mission  of  the  Son  of 
God. 

Our  earth  must  have  become  intensely  inter- 
esting to  angels,  with  the  Prince  of  life  sealed  up 
in  one  of  its  sepulchres,  and  with  him  the  hopes 
of  prophets  and  the  whole  church  of  God,  past, 
present,  and  to  come.  What  if  that  tomb  is  now 
sealed  up  forever?  He  who  said,  "I  am  tlie 
resurrection  and  the  life,"*  is  dead.  The  Roman 
power  has  taken  in  charge  the  sepulchre  by  id- 
lowing  its  guard  to  watch  there.  Ail  the  Chris- 
tians have  gone  from  the  spot  in  fear  ;  or  such  is 
their  distrust  of  their  Lord's  promise  to  rise  again 
that  they  have  brought  sweet  spices  to  embalm 
his  body,  as  if  God  were  about  to  suffer  his  Holy 
One  to  see  corruption.  Had  tliey  expected  him 
to  rise  the  third  day,  of  course  no  sweet  spices 
had  been  necessary.  Grief  and  bewildering  fear 
are  in  their  hearts,  triumph  fills  their  enemies,  for 
imperial  Rome  itself,  lias  condescended  to  help 
the  crucifiers  of  Jesus,  in  demonstrating  the 
falsehood  of  *'  that  deceiver." 

And  when  at  length  God  had  fully  served  him- 
self of  the  Roman  arm  through  its  representa- 
tive, Pontius  Pilate,  when  the  royal  authority 
had  stood  guard  long  enough  over  the  tomb  of 
his  dear  Son  to  make  it  as  clear  as  demonstration 
that  the  tomb  had  not  been  violated,  that  neither 
an  ingenious  plot  nor  a  mistaken  friendship  had 


WATCHING  THE   SEPULCHRE.  95 

thrown  the  shadow  of  a  doubt  on  the  question 
whether  the  Christ  that  was  laid  in  the  tomb  was 
there  still,  then,  very  early  in  the  morning  of 
the  third  day,  while  it  was  yet  dark,  a  single 
angel  descended  from  heaven  and  rolled  away 
the  stone  from  the  door  of  the  sepulchre  and  sat 
upon  it. 

What  became  of  that  cord  which  was  stretched 
across  the  tomb  door?  Who  dared  to  break 
those  seals  with  the  device  of  the  Jewish  princi- 
pal men  upon  them  ?  See  you  not  those  three 
crosses  standing  yet  on  Calvary  ?  Beware  lest 
you  be  hurried  to  one  of  them  by  the  same  power 
which  sent  the  impostor  of  Nazareth  to  die 
there. 

O,  that  moment  unequalled  in  the  history  of 
this  planet,  and  not  to  be  surpassed  at  the  con- 
summation of  all  things,  when  the  victim  of  Cal- 
vary walked  forth  from  that  sepulchre  and  stood 
upon  the  earth.  Not  when  he  shall  stand  upon 
the  earth  at  the  latter  day,  will  his  triumph  be 
more  sublime.  Not  then  will  adoring  angels 
greet  him  with  stronger  love  than  that  which 
must  have  flooded  their  souls  when  they  cried 
"one  to  another.  He  is  risen  ! 

Honored  angels !  who  can  you  be  among  the 
sons  of  the  mighty  to  have  gained  that  distinc- 
tion from  God  to  lay  your  Iiand  on  that  stone  and 
unseal  that  door?     One  might  have  given  you 


96  THE  JEW   AND   THE   ROMAN 

every  thtone  on  earth  for  that  seat  of  jours 
upon  that  stone.  We  fancy  that  you  are  that 
Gabriel  who  appeared  to  a  virj^in  espoused  to  a 
man  named  Joseph  of  the  house  of  David,  say- 
ing, "  Hail,  thou  that  art  highly  favored  among 
women,  the  Lord  is  with  thee;  blessed  art  thou 
among  women."  How  appropriate  for  that  same 
angel  to  announce  before  her  the  resurrection  of 
her  son. 

But  no !  for  the  mother  of  Jesus  is  not  among 
the  women  at  the  tomb.  Can  we*  believe  it  ? 
Consonant  with  our  thoughts  and  wishes  it  would 
have  been,  had  Gabriel  repeated  his  annunciation 
to  her  at  the  door  of  her  son's  deserted  sepulchre. 
Surely  this  angel  is  no  Papist.  Raphael,  Ru- 
bens, all  the  papal  artists,  would  have  had  Mary 
at  the  door  of  the  sepulchre  in  her  Son's  arms. 
But  there  is  not  a  word  concerning  Mary  in  con- 
nection with  the  Resurrection.  We  do  not  hear 
of  her  till  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  we  find 
her  mentioned  among  those  who  assembled  after 
the  ascension.  What  a  divine  touch  is  there  in 
the  absence  of  Mary,  and  of  the  mere  human  af- 
fectionateness  of  mother  and  child.  Earthly  re- 
lationships which  we  are  all  so  apt  to  exalt  over 
the  spiritual  and  heavenly,  are  not  recognized  in 
the  stupendous  scenes  of  the  Resurrection. 

Therefore,  it  may  not  have  been  Gabriel,  — 
perhaps  it  was  Michael  the   archangel  who  sat 


WATCHING  THE  SEPULCHRE.  9? 

Upon  that  stone.  For  it  was  Michael  who  dis- 
puted with  the  devil  in  Moab  about  the  body  of 
Moses ;  now,  perhaps  he  disputes  with  Caesar, 
and  Pontius  Pilate,  and  Rome,  and  Jerusalem, 
about  the-  body  of  Jesus.  Thus  Moses  and  the 
Lamb  were  both  of  them,  perhaps,  for  a  time  in 
charge  of  the  archangel.  His  first  dispute  with 
Satan  was  safely  ]>uryiiig  the  bod}^  of  Moses. 
This  was  to  pluck  from  him  that  had  the  power 
of  death,  the  Resurrection  and  the  Life. 

We  are  strongly  impelled  to  fancy  that  it  was 
the  archangel  who  has  in  charge  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead,  who  rolled  away  tlie  stone  from  the 
door  of  the  sepulchre.  Most  appropriate  would 
it  be  that  he  who  has  in  charge  the  graves  of 
God's  elect,  should  be  detailed  to  preside  at  the 
resurrection  of  Him  who  is  the  Resurrection  and 
the  Life. 

If  the  archangel  Michael  is  one  principal  figure 
of  this  drama,  who  is  the  principal  figure  on  the 
other  side  ?  Pontius  Pilate  !  Think  of  this,  ye 
followers  of  Jesus,  and  be  not  faithless  but  be- 
lieving. Unbeliever  !  Pontius  Pilate  is  your  re- 
presentative ;  ours  is  Jesus,  the  Resurrection  and 
the  Life. 

If  there  were  ever  any  raptures  in  tliis  world 
equalling  the  raptures  of  heaven,  it  must  have 
been  when  the  Christians  saw  how  God  had  raised 
up  Jesus.     We  remember  how  much  is  said  in 


98  THE  JEW  JCND   the  ROMAN 

the  New  Testament  of. the  "mighty  power  "  of 
God  in  raising  up  Christ,  —  "according  to  the 
working  of  his  mightj^  power  whicli  he  wrought 
in  Christ  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead." 
But  it  was  not  so  much  the  simple  act  of  omni- 
potence in  bringing  him  to  life  which  illnstruted 
the  power  of  God,  as  the  scheme  by  which  his 
wisdom  was  employed  to  counteract  the  designs 
of  the  wicked.  Prominent  among  the  great  acts 
of  God  in  connection  with  this  event,  no  doubt, 
was  the  divine  contrivance  by  which  he  made 
his  enemies  and  the  enemies  of  his  Son  keep 
possession  of  that  crucified  body  till  it  came  to 
life.  God  has  placed  the  body  of  his  Son  in  the 
hands  of  his  enemies  to  make  plainly  certain  his 
resurrection.  A  man  never  feels  more  humbled  ; 
is  never  placed  in  a  more  embarrassing  predica- 
ment, than  wlien  his  adversary  makes  him  the 
means  of  showing  the  folly  of  his  own  doings. 

We  may  venture  to  imagine  liow  the  Chief 
Priests  and  Pharisees  bit  their  lips  and  hardly 
looked  each  other  in  the  face  when  they  saw 
that  their  own  cunning  was  the  evident  means  of 
proving  the  identity  of  Christ  at  his  resurrection. 
"  How  much  better,"  no  doubt  they  said,  "  if  in- 
stead of  sealing  up  the  sepulchre  and  keeping 
watch  over  it,  we  had  let  the  tomb  remain  open, 
and  so  had  given  the  Christians  a  chance  to  steal 
the  bod}^ ;  then  there  could  have  been  no  possi- 


WATCHING  THE  SEPULCHRE.  99 

bility  of  proving  conclusively  that  Christ  came  to 
life.  But  we  ourselves  have  furnished  the  es- 
sential evidence  of  his  identity.  No  friends 
could  so  well  have  done  this.  We  are  caught  la 
our  own  net,  and  in  the  pit  which  we  have  dig- 
ged have  we  fallen  ourselves." 

You  see  what  power  of  meaning  is  thus  given 
to  such  passages  as  these  :  "But  God  raised  him 
from  the  dead,"  and  those  words  once  before 
quoted:  "According  to  the  working  of  his 
mighty  power  which  He  wrought  in  Christ  when 
He  raised  him  from  the  dead."  It  shows  more 
wisdom  to  do  a  thing  by  wise  contrivance  against 
opposition  ■  than  by  a  mere  word  of  omnipo- 
tence. Therefore,  when  the  Christians  saw  what 
was  done,  and  received  again  from  the  dead  their 
infinite  Friend,  we  may  ask.  Which  filled  them 
with  "the  greatest  pleasure,  which  imparted  the 
greatest  strength  to  their  hearts,  —  that  Christ 
was  risen,  or  the  manifest  interposition  of  the 
Almighty  in  effecting  it?  Surely  that  word, 
"  Thou  didst  it,"  was  after  all  the  foundation  of 
their  joy. 

I.  This  passage  of  sacred  history  il- 
lustrates THE  truth  that  GoD  HAS  "MADE 
ALL  THINGS  FOR  HIMSELF,  YEA,  EVEN  THE 
WICKED  FOR   THE  DAY  OF    EVIL." 

"  There  is  no  counsel  nor  wisdom  nor  under- 
standing against  the  Lord." 


100      THE  JEW  AND  THE  ROMAN 

Many  think  of  God,  of  his  attributes  and  provi- 
dence, as  mere  conveniences,  useful  upon  oc- 
casions. Human  Jiifairs,  they  seem  to  think,  are 
governed  by  an  eternal  necessity  they  know  not 
what,  and  God  appears  in  them  to  keep  them 
steady  with  a  little  help,  no  more,  however,  than 
a  steersman  renders  in  keeping  a  ship  true  to  the 
wind,  over  which  wind,  however,  he  has  no  con- 
trol. The  true  doctrine  in  opposition  to  this  is, 
that  man  and  his  affairs  are  appointed  instru- 
ments in  the  hands  of  One  of  whom,  and  by 
whom,  and  through  whom  are  all  things,  to  make 
God  himself  known,  for  the  one  hundred  and 
seventh  Psalm,  and  all  the  Hebrew  triumphal 
odes  are  mainly  occupied  in  glorifiying  God ;  nob 
in  chronicling  the  marching  of  a  host,  but  the 
stately  goings  of  the  Most  High. 

The  Red  Sea  \yas  for  God  to  show  his  power, 
the  famine  was  for  his  gift  of  the  manna  and 
quails,  the  thirst  was  for  the  rock  to  be  smitten ; 
the  rebellion  against  Moses  and  Aaron  was  for 
the  earth  to  open  ;  the  hard  pursuit  of  Saul 
around  t^he  hill  to  cut  off  David  was  for  God  to 
send  the  messenger  to  Saul  saying.  The  Philis- 
tines are  invading  the  land.  Jehosaphat's  inva- 
sion by  the  children  of  the  east  was  for  an  angel 
of  the  Lord  to  slay  a  hundred  and  eighty-five 
thousand  of  them  in  one  night.  Peter  was  im- 
prisoned  that  an   earthquake   might    open  the 


WATCHING  THE  SEPULCHRE.  101 

doors  of  the  prison.  Paul  and  and  Silas  were 
beaten  and  put  in  the  stocks,  to  make  their  jailor 
ask  a  question,  echoing  through  all  ages,  "  What 
must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  " 

And  so  the  sleeping  Saviour  was  affectionately 
guarded  against  any  injudicious  act  on  the  part 
of  his  friends,  and  was  delivered  over  to  his  ene- 
mies for  safe-keeping  against  them,  and  to  con- 
vince the  world  that  no  stratagem  had  con- 
founded his  identity ;  in  order  that  he  who  was 
to  be  the  Resurrection  and  the  Life  might  be  de- 
clared to  be  the  Son  of  God  with  power  by  the 
Spirit  of  holiness  which  raised  him  from  the 
dead.  •       * 

II.  Some  Christians  are  chosen  of  God 
TO   display   by    their    great   trials  His 

POWER  AND  WISDOM,  AS  ChRIST  WAS  BY  HIS 
DEATH  AND  BURIAL  AND   RESURRECTION. 

Such  Christians  may  be  said  to  have  been 
statuary  marble,  while  other  blocks  were  used 
merely  for  doorsteps  and  posts,  employed  for  the 
divine  artisan  to  show  some  immortal  statue. 
So  that  we  shall  hereafter  say,  "  Behold,  happy 
is  the  man  Avhom  God  correcteth : "  and  we 
would  gladly  send  from  heaven  this  message  to 
surviving  friends,  —  '*  therefore  despise  not  thou 
the  chastening  of  the  Almighty."  It  is  an  honor 
to    have  God  interest   himself  in  your   affairs, 


102  THE  JEW  AND   THE   ROMAN 

making  use  of  them  as  He  does  of  the  black 
cloud,  to  bend  the  raiubow  upon  it. 

The  wickedness  of  men  instead  of  casthig  us 
down,  ought  to  make  us  look  for  the  appointed 
time  when  God  will  show  his  power  and  make 
his  wrath  known.  Is  there  a  more  terrible  thing 
said  against  bad  men  than  this  ?  *'  When  the 
wicked  spring  as  the  grass  and  when  all  the 
workers  of  iniquity  do  flourish,  it  is  that  they 
shall  be  destroyed  forever."  Thus  if  the  pros- 
perity of  the  wicked  shall  destroy  them,  it 
should  never  dishearten  us. 

In  bad  times,  moreover,  we  may  be  sure  God 
is*  carrying  on  his  work  in  many  an  upright 
heart.  The  dreadful  temptations  which  infest 
our  cities  and  large  towns,  appealing  to  the 
senses  with  arts  which  venture  closer  every  year 
to  the  brink  of  shamelessness,  are  strengthening 
the  virtue  of  such  as  make  the  first  Psalm -their 
rule,  and  "  walk  not  in  the  counsel  of  the  un- 
godly, nor  stand  in  the  way  of  sinners,  nor  sit  in 
the  seat  of  the  scornful." 

III.  Bad  MEN  SHOULD  BE  OBJECTS  OF  PITY 
KATHER  THAN  OF  FEAR  OR  ANGER. 

In  the  first  place,  there  is  an  eternity  of  weep- 
ing before  them  unless  they  repent ;  and  in  the 
next  place,  one  of  their  chief  sorrows  there  will 


WATCHING  THE  SEPULCHRE.  103 

be  that  all  their  deep  hiid  plots  were  made  use 
of  by  the  Most  High  to  accomplish  his  purposes. 
We  do  not  see  how  the  work  of  redemption 
could  have  been  accomplished  had  it  not  been 
for  such  men  (is  Judas  and  Pontius  Pilate.  "  The 
Lord  hath  made  all  tilings  for  himself,  3'ea,  even 
the  wicked  for  the  day  of  evil."  Some  enemy 
must  draw  the  cord  across  the  door  of  the  sepul- 
chre and  seal  it  and  set  the  guard,  to  keep  the 
dead  Christ  from  the  well-meant  approach  of  his 
friends  ;  else  the  proofs  of  his  coming  forth  alive 
will  not  be  complete. 
Finally,— 

Every  thing  relating  to  the  resurrec- 
tion OF  Christ  is  unspeakably  interesting 

EOR  THIS  REASON,  "  He  WAS  RAISED  AGAIN  FOR 
OUR  JUSTIFICATION." 

Many  do  not  see  the  reason  of  this ;  they  do 
not  appreciate  the  evident  stress  which  the  Scrip- 
tures lay  upon  Christ's  rising  from  the  dead.  So 
long  as  he  died,  they  feel  that  their  redemption 
was  made  complete.  Let  us  submit  our  pre-con- 
ceived  opinions  to  the  Divine  will.  •  The  satis- 
faction which  Christ  made  to  divine  justice  was 
not  publicly  acknowledged  by  God  till  he  had 
raised  Christ  from  the  dead.  Had  he  not  been 
raised,  the  plan  of  redemption  would  not  have 


104       THE  JEW  AND  THE  ROMAN 

been  completed.  He  "  was  declared  to  be 
the  Son  of  God  with  power  by  the  spirit  of 
holiness  which  raised  him  from  the  dead." 
We  were  not  to  be  saved  by  a  dead  Christ. 
In  Roman  Catholic  countries  we  see  many  dead 
Christs.  He  must  die  for  our  sins,  it  is  true, 
but  as  a  Saviour  he  is  not  made  perfect  till  it 
can  be  said,  "It  is  Christ  that  died,  yea  rather, 
that  is  risen  again."  Had  his  bones  been  broken 
on  the  cross  like  those  of  the  thieves,  his  death, 
indeed,  would  have  been  equally  effectual ;  but 
it  was  not  the  purpose  of  God  to  redeem  us  by 
subjecting  the  crucified  body  of  his  Son  to  the 
needless  indignity  of  maiming.  The  same  Di- 
vine wisdom  chose  that  a  dead  Christ  should 
not  be  a  perfected  Redeemer.  We  are  glad  that 
we  are  not  justified  by  a  dead  Christ.  Had  we 
been,  we  should  receive  him  as  now  we  accept 
the  whole  mystery  of  redemption, —  "  but  God 
raised  him  from  the  dead,"  and  "  by  him  we  be- 
lieve in  God  who  raised  him  from  the  dead  and 
gave  him  glory,"  and  we  receive  him  just  as  he 
is  revealed,  a  risen  Redeemer,  all  his  work  of 
satisfaction  for  our  sins  sealed  by  the  Almighty 
when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead. 

Therefore  consider  what  a  glorious  thing  it  is 
to  be  justified  by  faith  in  Christ,  seeing  that  such 
an  event  as  his  resurrection  was  essential  to 
make  him  perfect  as  your  Redeemer. 

If  everything   else   in   j^our  Redeemer  is  as 


WATCHING  THE  SEPULCHRE.  105 

great  and  glorious  as  liis  resurrection,  you  who 
have  had  this  Christ  imputed  to  you  as  your 
righteousness,  liave  received  from  God  the  great- 
est of  all  his  gifts. 

Believer !  God  has  ah-eady  done  for  you  spirit- 
ually tliat  "  which  he  wrought  in  Christ  when  he 
raised  him  from  the  dead  and  set  him  at  his  own 
right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places."  You  are 
redeemed  if  you  are  in  Christ.  All  that  Christ 
is,  all  that  Christ  has  done,  is  made  over  to  you 
by  your  simply  believing  in  Him.  All  the  pow- 
ers of  sin  in  earth  and  hell  cannot  hinder  your 
salvation. 

The  sign  of  the  cross  is  to  you  the  symbol  of 
the  atoning  death  of  your  Redeemer ;  the  break- 
ing, by  the  hand  of  God,  of  that  seal  which  the 
Jew  and  the  Roman  had  placed  upon  the  Re- 
deemer's tomb,  is  the  sign  and  pledge  of  your 
completed  redemption.  "Rejoice  evermore." 
"  Pray  without  ceasing."  "  In  every  thing  give 
thanks." 

"•  Now  then,  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ," 
to  eveiy  one  who  yet  needs  his  grace ;  "  as 
though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us  ;  we  pray 
you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God." 
We  preach  unto  you  Jesus  and  the  Resurrection. 
The  hour  is  at  hand  when  nothing  else  will  seem 
to  you  of  any  importance.  Therefore  "  seek  the 
things  which  are  above,  where  Christ  sitteth  at 
the  right  hand  of  God." 


VI. 

THE  MAN  AT  THE  WHEEL. 
(written  at  sea.) 

"  Thou  shalt  guide  me  with  thy  counsel,  and  afterward  receive    me  to 
glory."  — Psalm  73  :  24. 

DURING  a  loDg  voyage  few  things  inter- 
ested me  more  than  the  man  at  the  wheel. 

While  some  of  the  crew  were  heaving  the  an- 
chor, one  sailor  took  his  place  at  the  wheel,  point- 
ing the  ship  on  her  course  before  the  anchor  had 
risen  a  few  feet  from  the  ground. 

In  a  voyage  of  a  hundred  and  eleven  days  to 
San  Francisco,  and  thence  to  the  Sandwich  Is- 
lands, China,  the  East  Indies  and  New  York, 
there  was  a  man  at  tlie  wheel  every  moment,  day 
and  night,  in  storm  and  sunshine.  Every  man, 
except  the  officers,  was  in  his  turn  two  hours  at 
a  time  during  the  whole  voyage,  the  man  at  the 
wheel.  Not  till  the  word  of  command  was  given 
(106) 


THE  MAN   AT  THE   WHEEL.  107 

inside  the  Golden  Gate,  "Let  go  the  anchor," 
was  the  wheel  deserted.  Every  two  hours,  the 
man  at  the  wheel  was  reliev,ed  by  some  ship- 
mate who  knew  when  it  came  his  turn.  The 
man  at  the  wheel  would  say  what  point  of  the 
compass  must  be  kept  in  mind  ;  the  man  taking 
his  place  would  repeat  his  words.  "South  west 
by  south  half  south,"  says  the  man  who  seizes 
the  wheel  to  take  his  place. 

Going  on  deck  at  midnight  there  is  the  man 
at  the  wheel.  Coming  up  to  watch  the  sunrise 
you  salute  the  man  at  the  wheel.  During  a  gale, 
if  you  venture  on  deck  curious  to  see  the  swell- 
ing ocean,  you  find  the  man  at  the  wheel.  In 
a  dead  calm,  the  ship  motionless,  there  stands  the 
man  at  the  wheel.  The  sea  runs  high,  the  wave 
looks  down  upon  you  as  though  it  would  swal- 
low you  up.  "Meet  her!  "  cries  the  mate  ;  the 
man  at  the  wheel  swings  the  bowsprit  in  the 
teeth  of  the  billow ;  you  go  up  to  the  heavens ; 
then  down  again  into  the  deep. 

You  always  feel  on  shipboard  that  there  is  one 
man  doing  something  for  you.  During  divine, 
service  on  Sabbath  morning,  two  men  at  least, 
are  always  absent,  one,  the  officer  of  the  deck, 
the  other,  the  man  at  the  wheel.  If  you  start 
in  your  sleep  you  instantly  think,  There  is  at 
least  one  who  is  awake,  the  man  at  the  wheel. 
I  never  passed  him  day  or  night,  without  giving 


108  THE  MAN  AT  THE  WHEEL. 

and  receiving  a  salutation.     You  feel  that  he  is 
your  personal  friend. 

The  compass  lies  directly  in  front  of  the 
wheel ;  the  binnacle  lamp  shines  all  night  upon 
the  compass,  which  points  the  way  the  ship  is 
headed,  and  the  man  at  the  wheel  is  told  to  keep 
her  so.  If  the  wind  sets  her  off  her  course  the 
endeavor  is  to  get  as  near  to  it  as  the  wind  will 
allow,  keeping  the  sails  "full  and  by  "  the  wind, 
the  steersman  using  his  discretion  how  to  do  so. 

One  cannot  see  himself  thus  continually  kept 
on  his  course  through  the  deep  without  being  re- 
minded that  if  he  is  a  child  of  God,  he  has 
Christ  Jesus  as  the  man  at  the  wheel  to  his  soul 
as  truly  as  at  every  moment  of  a  voyage,  how- 
ever long,  he  has  a  man  at  the  wheel  of  his  ship. 
Without  presumption,  but  with  the  utmost  con- 
fidence, with  full  assurance  of  faith,  every  one 
who  loves  God  may  say  to  the  Saviour,  "  Thou 
shalt  guide  me  with  thy  counsel,  and  afterward 
receive  me  to  glory."  He  may  be  as  confident 
of  the  incessant  guidance  of  his  soul  by  Christ, 
as  the  passenger  is  of  the  perpetual  service  of  a 
man  at  the  wheel. 

It  used  to  occur  to  me.  Suppose  that  instead 
of  having  twenty-eight  men  taking  turn,  each  of 
them  two  hours  at  a  time,  to  steer  me  across  the 
globe,  the  service  were  done  by  a  single  man  who, 
day  and  night  should  be  my  steersman,  standing 


THE  MAN   AT   THE  WHEEL.  109 

eveiy  moment  at  the  wheel,  buffetted  by  the 
gale,  pelted  by  the  rain,  scorched  by  the  sun, 
straining  everj^  sense  in  the  dark  nights  to  guard 
against  collisions,  till  finally  I  should  see  the  an- 
chor dropped  in  the  desired  haven,  without  any 
casualty,  delay,  loss,  damage,  from  the  beginning 
to  the  end  of  the  A^oyage,  I  could  not  part  with 
that  man  without  emotions  unutterable.  Yet 
here  I  am  on  the  voyage  of  life  'with  One  at  the 
wheel  who  has  been  there  from  my  infancy  to 
the  present  hour,  to  whom  I  may  with  joyful 
confidence  repeat  these  words,  "  Thou  shalt 
guide  me  wilh  thy  counsel,  and  afterwards  re- 
ceive me  to  glory." 

We  bless  the  memory  of  this  translator  who 
used  the  word  "shalt"  in  this  passage,  instead 
of  "  wilt."  He  lets  David  here  speak  not  pro- 
phetical 1}^  but  trustfully,  confiding  himself  to  di- 
vine guidance,  not  merely  foretelling  that  he  will 
be  guided,  but  declaring  his  willingness  to  be. 
There  may  be  all  the  difference  between  a  be- 
liever and  unbeliever  in  saying  "  shalt  *'  rather ' 
than  "  wilt  "  in  such  a.  case  as  this ;  whether  you 
as  from  the  heart,  avouch  the  Lord  God  to  be 
your  Supreme  ruler,  or  merely  declare  that  He 
will  be.  Using  here  the  word  ''  shalt,"  implies 
a  cordial  choice  of  divine  guidance.  He  who 
has  made  such  choice  has  the  hand  of  infinite 
love  on  his  helm.     Some  helms  seem  to  have  no 


110  THE  MAN  AT   THE  WHEEL. 

hand  upon  them.  They  steer  wild.  They  are 
blown  about ;  sometimes  they  are  in  the  trough 
of  the  sea  ;  the}^  have  broached  to  ;  some  of  them 
go  down  forever. 

One  would  think  that  none  would  need  to  be 
repeatedly  told,  ''  In  all  thy  ways  acknowledge 
him,  and  he  shall  direct  thy  paths."  We  meet 
vessels  of  every  marititne  country  at  sea,  and 
^every  one  of  them  has  a  man  at  the  wheel.  It 
is  not  thus  with  all  on  the  voyage  of  life.  By 
the  way  in  which  some  steer,  you  might  al- 
most imagine  Satan  at  the  helm.  But  there  are 
others  who  have  made  that  inspired  direction 
their  rule  :  *•'•  In  all  thy  ways  acknowledge  him, 
and  he  shall  direct  thy  paths."  It  was  so  with 
a  good  man,  foreign  born,  who  had  lately  found 
a  home  in  one  of  our  cities  as  missionary,  who 
was  offered  a  situation  instead  of  one  which  he 
then  filled.  The  gentleman  urgently  requested 
his  answer  at  once.  The  good  man  replied,  "  O, 
not  now ;  I  have  not  mentioned  it  to  the  Lord." 

The  Old  Testament  everywhere  makes  the  im- 
pression on  a  serious  reader,  of  God's  particular 
providence.  If  any  are  ever  inclined  to  unbe- 
lief, there  is  a  portion  of  Scripture  biography 
where  we  should  suppose  that  they  would  as  soon 
as  any  where,  stumble.  We  might  ask  them, 
not,  "  Do  3'Ou  believe  that  Joshua  made  the  sun 
and  moon  to  stand  still ;  but,  Can  you  believe 


THE  MAN  AT  THE  WHEEL.  Ill 

that  the  being  who  made  the  worlds,  once  came 
to  the  bedside  of  a  boy,  called  to  him,  "  Samuel ! 
Samuel !  "  and  wheu  the  child  awoke  he  ran  to 
Eli,  and  was  told  by  him  to  lie  down  again  for  he 
did  not  call  him  ;  God  came  the  second  time  and 
called,  "  Samuel !  Samuel !  "  .and  the  child  went 
to  Eli  again,  and  again  was  sent  back  to  his  bed, 
and  the  third  time  God  came  and  called,  and 
again  he  insisted  that  Eli  did  speak,  and  Eli  per- 
ceiving that  God  had  called  the  child,  told  him 
to  answer  accordingly,  and  the  fourth  time  God 
came  and  said,  "  Samuel  1  Samuel !  "  and  then 
broke  to  him  his  purposes  and  made  the  child  his 
messenger,  acquainting  him  with  some  of  his 
purposes,  —  I  repeat  the  question,  can  you  be- 
lieve this  ?  Will  3'ou  believe  it?  Do  you  be- 
lieve it?  then  you  are  in  one  good  sense  a 
believer ;  you  have  a  commendable  faith ;  you 
only  need  to  exercise  the  same  simple  confidence 
in  the  New  Testament,  to  have  in  a  more  impor- 
tant sense,  faith,  which,  accompanied  by  heart- 
felt reliance  on  Christ  as  the  sinners  substitute 
before  the  law  of  God,  answering  its  righteous 
demands  by  his  atoning  death,  would  make  you 
to  be  in  all  respects  a  believer,  as  truly  as  Abra- 
ham was  who,  in  an  exemplary  sense,  was  the 
father  of  all  them  that  believe.  If  you  believe 
in  the  historical  narratives  of  any  of  the  Old 
Testament  miracles,  it  may  be  gratifyiDg  to  you 

^^^OF  THT?> 


112  THE  MAN  AT  THE  WHEEL. 

to  know  that  the  words  of  David  in  the  text, 
can  by  the  help  of  the  Holy  Spirit  be  acted  upon 
by  you,  will  be,  as  soon  as  you  are  willing  to  say 
with  David,  to  David's  Lord  and  David's  son, 
"Thou  shalt  guide  me  with  thy  counsel,  and 
afterward  receive  me  to  glory." 

This  faith  may  be  exercised  by  you  through 
the  operation  of  God  at  any  moment.  For 
wherein  does  •  the  greatness  of  God  consist  ? 
There  is  one  thing  in  the  acts  of  God  too  great 
for  some  men  to  believe.  .Not  that  he  made 
the  distant  planet  Uranus.  I  never  met  with 
one  who  could  not  believe  that  which  astrono- 
mers tell  us  of  his  perturbations  and  their  prob- 
able cause.  But  I  have  met  with  men  who, 
while  they  believed  all  this,  could  not  believe 
that  this  God  numbers  the  hairs  of  their  heads, 
or  that  not  a  sparrow  falls  to  the  ground  with- 
out him.  That  was  too  much  for  their  faith ; 
which  proves  that  God's  condescension  is  more 
incredible  to  many,  than  his  omnipotence. 

It  is  not  too  much  to  believe  that  God  may 
have  arranged  and  has  in  mind  at  one  and  the 
same  moment  myriads  of  worlds,  their  geolog}^, 
mineralogy,  crystallogeny,  botany,  their  animals 
and  birds ;  but  that  such  a  Being  will  guide  a 
man  with  his  counsel,  and  afterward  receive  him 
to  glor}^,  is  oftentimes  too  much  for  faith.  With 
no  more  power  to  explain  this  than  others,  you 


THE  MAN  AT   THE  WHEEL.  113 

believe  it.  That  willingness  to  believe  it  so  im- 
plicitly is  one  kind  of  faith  ;  only  exercise  it  with 
the  heart  in  regard  to  the  words  of  Christ  in 
what  he  says  of  the  soul,  its  present  character, 
its  destiny,  the  way  in  which  alone  it  can  be 
saved  ;  and  then,  for  there  is  still  one  thing  with- 
out whicli  all  this  faitli  will  prove  useless, 
with  all  your  heart  accept  the  offers  of  this  Re- 
deemer, love  him,  be  his  disciple,  and  consent- 
ingly  say  to  him,  "  Thou  shalt  guide  me  with 
thy  counsel,  and  afterwards  receive  me  to  glory." 
There  are  some  who  have  believed  all  this  who 
do  not  have  the  consolation  to  which  they  are 
entitled,  because  they  fail  to  keep  this  faith  in 
exercise. 

Instead  of  reading  treatises  on  faith,  and  try_ 
ing  to  understand  speculations  on  things  beyond 
our  knowledge,  they  will  be  far  more  happy,  for 
they  will  make  more  progress  in  religious 
knowledge,  if  they  will  sit  by  the  side  of  Sam- 
iiel's  bed,  listening  to  the  Almighty  as  he  talked 
with  him  I  owe  more  to  talk  with  children 
after  they  had  gone  to  bed  than  to  books, 
if  I  ever  have  had  lessons  in  faith.  Their  in- 
quiries, which  I  could  not  answer  ;  their  implicit 
but  wondering  acquiesence  in  my  statements, 
have  taught  me  more  than  the  teachings  of  men, 
liow  to  receive  with  meekness,  the  engrafted 
word  wiiich  is  able  to  save  the  soul.  Their 
confidence  in  my  love  and  care  has  done  more  than 


114  THE  MAK  AT  THE  WHEEL. 

many  otlier  things  esteemed  among  men,  to  make 
me  understand  how  I  am  to  love  God,  and  how 
God  loves  them  who  trust  in  Ilini. 

That  which  tlie  sailor  when  he  is  at  tlio  wheel 
does  for  all  on  board,  He  wlio  is  the  "  Wonder- 
ful, Counsellor,"  accomplishes,  but  in  a  far 
higher  sense,  every  moment  day  and  night,  for 
his  believing  child.  The  hands  of  the  man  at 
the  wheel  are  in  effect  tied  to  it  while  he  is 
on  duty  as  steersman.  There  is  One  who  can  at 
the  same  time  act  for  us  in  the  capacity  of  the 
man  at  the  wheel,  but  also  do  everything  else 
needed  by  us  on  the  voyage. 

It  was  kind  in  the  captain  of  our  ship  to  close 
our  window  shutters  for  us  one  night  in  a  ter- 
rific storm  of  lightning  off  the  Rio  de  la  Plata, 
that  we  might  sleep.  So  tlie  watchman  of  Israel 
sometimes  closes  the  senses  of  a  dying  friend 
when  about  to  pass  through  the  valley  of  the 
shadow  of  death  ;  suffering  the  friendly  delirium 
to  act  the  part  of  a  veil.  In  numberless  ways 
does  he  make  kind  offices  act  the  part  of  friends 
when  indeed  friends  could  not  discern  our  need; 
or  fender  aid,  even  could  they  discern  our  ne- 
cessity, Christ  is  doing  wondrous  acts  of  kind- 
ness for  us  all  the  time.  When  you  are  asleep 
he  is  perhaps  directing  the  thoughts  of  some  who 
on  the  other  side  of  the  globe  are  at  that  instant, 
under  their  noonday  sun,  inditing,  letters  which 
may  deeply  affect  your  welfare. 


THE  MAN  AT  THE  WHEEL.  115 

While  we  are  under  the  guidance  of  this  om- 
niscient, omnipotent  Friend,  it  is  wonderful  that 
we  are  in  full  possession  of  free  agency.  I  have 
already  quoted  the  command  which  the  mate 
sometimes  gives  to  one  steering,  when  he  sees  an 
enormous  wave  ready  to  break  over  the  side  of 
the  ship.  "  Meet  her  !  "  he  cries  ;  an  elliptical 
sea  phrase,  meaning,  make  her  meet  it ;  so  in- 
stead of  suffering  the  billow  to  swamp  the  ship 
by  coming  upon  her  broadside,  she  by  turning  a 
little  out  of  course  rides  the  wave  safely.  Thus 
he  sometimes  says  to  us  in  view  of  a  coming  duty 
or  danger,  "  Meet  her."  With  the  word  he  fills 
the  heart  with  inward  strength.  We  seem  to  be 
making  use  of  self-inspired  courage,  but  it  is 
God  that  worketh  in  us  to  will  and  to  do  of  his 
good  pleasure. 

Was  it  mere  fancy  when  I  said  that  some  souls 
make  one  feel  as  though  Satan  was  at  their 
helm  ?  No,  for  the  Bible  speaks  of  the  spirit 
that  now  worketh  in  the  childien  of  disobedience  ; 
it  tells  us  to  admonish  them,  that  they  may  re- 
cover themselves  "  out  of  the  snare  of  the  devil, 
who  are  led  captive  by  him  at  his  will." 

In  the  days  of  Odin  and  Thor  in  Great  Britain, 
and  in  times  of  witchcraft  in  some  parts  of  our 
countr}^,  we  know  how  fearful  a  thing  it  was  for 
one  to  believe  himself  possessed  by  an  evil  spirit. 
It  is  enough  to  make  the  stoutest  heart  shudder  to 


116  THE  MAN   AT   THE  WHEEL. 

read  in  the  New  Testament  of  one  wholly  given 
up  to  the  possession  of  the  devil  and  liis  legions. 
The  Apostle  Peter  says  to  Christians,  "  Be  sober, 
be  vigilant,  because  your  adversary  the  devil, 
walketh  about  as  a  roaring  lion,  seeking  whom 
he  may  devour !  "  If  then,  even  the  best  of  men 
are  liable  to  be  his  pre}^,  how  must  it  be  with 
those  who  tempt  the  devil  with  hearts  standing 
wide  open,  filled  with  Avicked  passions  and  evil 
desires,  thus  soliciting  the  devil  instead  of  wait- 
ing to  be  tempted. 

Such  are  we,  if  not  under  the  protection  of 
Christ.  Every  heart  is  either  under  the  protec- 
tion of,  or  led  captive  hy^  the  evil  one.  If  we  are 
under  the  protection  of  Christ,  guided  by  his 
counsel,  we  are  safe  in  any  place,  in  the  worst 
company,  if  we  are  there  against  our  will  or 
without  our  choice.  Daniel  and  his  companions 
were  safe  in  the  palace  of  Bab\  Ion.  Joseph  Avas 
safe  in  Potiphar's  house.  I  have  known  young 
mien  and  bo3's  subject  day  and  night  to  the 
w^orst  examples,  in  the  forecastle  and  on  shore, 
who  seemed  to  be  purified  by  the  fiery  furnace 
of  sin  which  burned  around  them.  In  their 
prayers  they  could  say,  "  Thou  shalt  guide  me 
with  thy  counsel." 

We  notice  the  way  in  which  God  is  said  to 
guide  "  with  his  counsel,"  and  not  by  force. 
"I  will  guide  thee  with  mine  eye."     We  must 


THE  MAN  AT   THE  WHEEL.  117 

give  heed  to  the  suggestions  of  conscience.  "Be- 
hold also  the  ships,  which  though  they  be  so 
great  and  are  driven  of  fierce  winds,  yet  are  they 
turned  about  with  a  very  small  helm,  whither- 
soever the  governor  listeth."  When  we  take  the 
Bible  in  our  hands  it  should  be  with  prayer. 

The  suggestions  of  the  Holy  Spirit  are  "  the 
man  at  the  wheel"  in  our  souls.  God,  the 
Father,  Son  and  Holy  Spirit,  it  is  not  too  much 
to  say,  will  be  to  each  one  that  which  is  repre- 
sented by  a  human  hand  upon  the  helm  of  a  ship. 
It  is  not  too  late  to  regain  Him  if  we  have  lost 
his  guidance.  When  we  find  ourselves  in  evil 
company,  we  may  be  sure  that  we  have  not  been 
led  thither  by  the  Divine  Author  of  the  First 
Psalm.  Some  will  have  this  for  their  painful  re- 
flection without  end: — My  Saviour,  the  Judge, 
offered  to  be  "  the  man  at  the  wheel  "  to  my  soul. 
We  may  from  this  hour  have  him  whose  name 
is  "Wonderful,  Counsellor,"  to  guldens  through 
life  and  afterward  receive  us  to-  glory.  It  was 
not  a  meaningless  record.  "  Then  they  willingly 
received  him  into  the  ship,  and  immediately  the 
ship  was  at  the  land  whither  they  went." 


VII. 


THE   BRIEF   MENTION    OF    ASTRON- 
OMY IN  GENESIS. 

"He  made  the  stars  also." — Genesis  i :  16. 

The  narrative  of  creation  passes  over  the  stars 
with  brief  notice.  After  saying  that  God  made 
two  great  lights,  the  greater  light  to  rule  the  day, 
and  the  lesser  light  to  rule  the  night,  it  saj^s  in 
the  Hebrew, — "the  stars  also."  The  words, 
*'  He  made  "  are  in  italics. 

The  stars  had  been  created  when  Genesis  was 
written,  The  nearest  fixed  star  was  twenty  bil- 
lions of  miles  from  the  earth.  As  light  travels 
two  hundred  thousand  miles  a  second,  if  a  star 
in  Centaur  us  for  example,  had  been  struck  out 
of  existence  at  the  death  of  Moses,  it  would  be 
more  than  eleven  thousand  years  hence  before 
its  light  would  disappear;  the  star  would  for 
that  length  of  time  be  appaj-ently  in  the  same 
place.  The  planets  being  at  their  nearest  ap- 
(118) 


ASTRONOMY  IN   GENESIS.  119 

proach  to  one  another  so  distant,  there  must  be" 
solitudes  between  them  inconceivable ;  so  that 
could  we  measure  the  universe  by  its  solitudes 
alone,  no  finite  mind  can  conceive  of  its  boun- 
daries. 

While  this  was  before  the  mind  of  God,  noth- 
ing is  disclosed  in  revelation  unless  in  keeping 
with  the  limited  knowledge  of  the  age  when  the 
Bible  began  to  be  written.  That  limited  knowl- 
edge was  to  be  stationary  for  thousands  of  years. 
We  can  conceive  wliat  perplexity  would  confuse 
the  minds  of  men  should  the  pen  of  inspiration 
write  in  a  way  transcending  the  knowledge  of 
men,  on  a  subject  which  takes  such  liold  upo*i 
human  curiosity  as  astronomy.  A  benevolent 
regard  for  human  happiness  would  need  to  say 
a  great  deal,  if  it  said  anything,  upon  this  sub- 
ject. This  would  be  opening  the  gates  of  knowl- 
edge more  than  was  consistent  with  the  scheme 
of  providence.  None  but  infinite  wisdom  could 
keep  the  gates  of  knowledge  so  closely  barred 
that  some  disclosure  would  not  inadvertently  be- 
tray the  secrets  of  nature  ;  say  something  which 
would  make  men  half  insane  to  know  what  was 
meant  when  they  could  not  be  told  without  dis- 
closing things  so  many  and  so  profound,  that 
many  would  turn  astrologers. 

We  know  what  mischief  was  wrought  by  as- 
trology.    We  may  confidently  say  tliat  the  silence 


120  THE  BRIEF  MENTION  OF 

of  the  Bible  is  a  powerful  proof  that  it  is  the  book 
of -God.  There  is  something  more  interesting 
than  science,  something  more  important  than  the 
starry  world.  It  is  not  life  eternal  to  know 
what  are  the  sweet  influences  of  Pleiades,  the 
bands  of  Orion. 

The  book  which  the  Most  High  wrote  for  men 
is  not  a  book  of  science.  You  would  suppose 
from  much  of  the  literature  of  the  day,  that  the 
very  best  thing  is  to  be  scientific,  by  all  means 
literary.  While  the  Bible  inculcates  early  in- 
struction with  discipline,  it  seeks  to  make  men. 
feel  that  to  know  God  and  the  way  of  peace 
with  him,  are  the  first  things  to  be  understood. 
Having  learned  these,  we  are  taught  that  there 
are  to  be  no  bounds  to  our  knowledge.  But  the 
Bible  is  not  a  book  of  science  ;  yet  science  is  of 
practical  use.  Had  the  Romans,  for  example, 
understood  the  scientific  truth  that  water  in 
pipes  under  or  above  ground  conveyed  even 
to  great  distances,  will  rise  as  high  as  its  source, 
it  would  have  been  of  immense  practical  use ; 
for  the  knowledge  that  water  in  a  pipe  could 
after  going  down  into  a  valley,  come  up  of  itself, 
would  have  saved  untold  wealth  besides  labor. 

None  of  these  things,  however,  were  subjects 
of  divine  revelation ;  yet  none  but  the  wisdom 
which  is  infinite  would  have  omitted  them  in  its 
disclosures ;  for  had  men  been  allowed  to  dictate 


ASTRONOMY  IN  GENESIS.  121 

a  divine  revelation,  undoubtedly  we  should  have 
had  at  the  veiy  beginning  an  encyclopedia  of 
useful  knowledge. 

The  history  of  such  a  people  as  the  Jews,  we 
imagine,  would  have  been  disposed  of  in  a  brief 
space,  with  all  the  lessons  which  it  teaches  con- 
cerning the  character  of  God  and  our  duty  to- 
ward him.  Such  an  age  and  people  as  that  of 
the  Greeks  at  their  highest  advancement,  would 
no  doubt  have  been  celebrated  in  revelations,  yet 
the  Bible  speaks  of  them  disparagingly  in  com- 
parison with  that  which  it  declares  to  be  its  great 
theme.  "  The  Greeks  seek  after  wisdom  ;"  — 
more  than  intimating  that  the  wisdom  which  dis- 
tinguished Greece  was  not  the  principal  thing. 
There  was  something  which  Greece  never  found, 
greater  than  all  its  lost  arts. 

Seeing  the  disproportioned  value  which  men 
place  on  human  learning,  we  can  easily  think 
what  stimulus  would  have  been  given  to  curi- 
osity, had  the  Most  High  set  the  example  of  ele- 
vating mere  knowledge  to  the  first  place  in  our 
estimation.  Wisely  has  our  Divine  instructor 
refrained  from  setting  us  such  an  example  as  to 
make  his  revelation  a  series  of  disclosures  con- 
cerninsj  mere  scientific  truth. 

The  Apostle  Paul  tells  us  that  "  whether  there 
shall  be  prophecies  they  shall  fail,  whether  there 
be  tongues  they  shall  cease,  whether  there  be 


122  THE  BRIEF  MENTION  OF 

knowledge  it  shall  vanish  away."  For  after  we 
reach  heaven,  the  humblest  of  our  race  who  shall 
be  saved,  will  in  a  brief  period  know  more  of 
the  universe  than  the  wisest  of  men  liere  who* 
know  not  God. 

In  a  recent  eulogy  on  Humbolt  who,  all  agree 
had  not  a  superior,  if  he  had  an  equal,  in  scien- 
tific knowledge,  the  author,  a  great  naturalist, 
discussed  the  question  whether  he  was  an  Athe- 
ist. He  had  found  a  sentence  in  his  volumin- 
ous works  which  contains  a  mention  of  God  as 
Creator.  Think  of  this,  fellow  men !  The 
greatest  of  your  race  in  mere  scientific  knowl- 
edge in  modern  times,  the  most  adventurous  ex- 
plorer among  the  works  of  God,  instead  of  over- 
tiowing  with  adoring  tributes  of  love  to  Him, 
makes  it  necessary  for  his  eulogist  to  search' his 
books  in  order  to  find  whether  he  did  really  be- 
lieve in  God.  If  he  did  not,  the  least  in  the. 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  greater  than  he,  for  the 
Bible  tells  us  in  the  passage  just  quoted  about 
prophecies  and  tongues  and  knowledge,  that  all 
distinctions  of  knowledge  in  this  world  will 
vanish  away. 

The  light  of  heaven  will  make  our  present  in- 
quries  with  their  most  brilliant  results  pale  by 
the  noon-day  brightness  then  to  flood  them. 
There  the  man  who  did  nothing  but  study  na- 
ture,  neglecting    that    truth,   "he    that   loveth 


ASTRONOMY  IN  GENESIS.  123 

knoweth  God,"  will  be  left  to  confusion,  when 
some  of  the  weakest  men  shall  come  to  know  by 
intuition  all  which  the  other  had  arrived  at  after 
years  of  toil.  If  there  is  one  of  our  race  who 
will  be  most  pitiable  hereafter,  it  will  not  be  so 
much  the  rich  fool  who  said  to  himself,  "  Thou 
hast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years,"  as  the 
great  scholar,  who  had  he  been  a  worshipper  of 
God  with  faith  in  his  Son,  our  Saviour,  would 
have  been  greatly  prepared  by  his  earthly  studies 
for  immediate  advancement  in  knowledge  con- 
cerning the  works  of  God.  Having  only  sought 
and  found  the  knowledge  of  material  things  he 
will  see  hereafter  that  those  who  worshipped  God 
in  Christ  are  at  once  abreast  of  him  in  such  knowl- 
edge ;  that  then  and  ever  after  they  are  to  be  his 
superiors,  while  he  must  be  consigned  to  dark- 
ness with  his  misused  powers. 

While  the  Bible  is  in  effect  the  most  literary 
of  all  books,  has  given  existence  to  more  vol- 
nmes  than  any  other  stimulant  of  thought,  more 
of  the  master  pieces  of  painting,  for  example, 
being  suggested  by  it,  than  by  any  other,  so  that 
the  human  mind  has  been  in  a  larger  measure 
cultivated  by  works  of  imagination  drawn  from 
it  than  from  any  other  source,  —  still  the  Book  of 
God  was  not  written  for  that  as  its  avowed  pur- 
pose, but  is  continually  admonishing  us  that  to 
know  God,  to  love,  obey  and  enjoy  Him  is  bet- 


124  THE  BRIEF  MENTION  OF 

ter  than  the  knowledge  of  material  things.  We 
learn  this  from  the'  remarkable  silence  of  the 
Bible  as  to  scientific  subjects,  particularly  from 
the  wonderful  conciseness  in  its  information  about 
the  stars,  saying  only  that  God  made  two  great 
lights ;  "  the  stars  also." 

Let  any  one  ask  himself  whether  we  do  not 
find  in  this  reserve,  a  proof  of  a  superior  hand. 
This  is  not  the  manner  of  man.  Human  wisdom 
does  not  refuse  to  teach  the  things  which  men 
are  most  curious  to  know.  It  does  not  set  science 
by  lightly,  when  it  seeks  to  instruct  men  in  things 
pertaining  to  God.  Therefore,  if  we  believe  this 
book  to  have  been  given  by  inspiration  of  God, 
we  shall  do  well  to  follow  the  instruction  afforded 
by  its  example  of  preferring  the  knowledge  of 
God,  especially  to  know  his  will,  above  every 
thing  which  science  or  literature  can  impart. 
While  the  desire  for  divine  knowledge  is  not  in- 
consistent with  personal  improvement,  there  are 
occasions,  questions,  which  give  opportunity  to 
show  that  we  are  to  consider  this  to  be  "  Life 
eternal,  to  know  Him,  the  true  God,  and  Jesus 
Christ  whom  he  has  sent." 

Having  considered  that  the  brief  way  in  which 
astronomy  is  treated  in  the  Bible  is  a  proof  of  its 
divine  inspiration,  we  shall  admit  that 

n.    While   God  says  so  little  about 


ASTRONOIVIY  IN  GENESIS.  125 

THE  STARS,  IT  IS  WONDERFUL  THAT  He  HAS 
SAID  SO  MUCH  ABOUT  MAN  AND  HUMAN  AF- 
FAIRS. 

One  would  think  on  reading  the  Bible  only, 
that  there  is  nq  other  world  than  this  under  the 
care  of  the  Almighty. 

While  we  can  never  cease  to  blame  the  persecu- 
tors of  Galileo  for  not  consenting:  to  look  through 
his  telescope,  we  can  account  for  the  incredulity 
of  many  who  would  not  believe  his  doctrine, 
from  the  fear  which  they  probably  had  of  losing 
their  belief  in  the  exclusive  regard  which  the 
Most  High  seems  in  the  Bible  to  feel  for  our 
earth. 

It  Avas  a  satisfaction  to  think  that  this  earth 
was  the  sole  object  of  Jehovah's  care  as  an  in- 
habited sphere.  The  Bible,  they  thought,  taught 
them  so ;  it  would  be  a  loss  to  their  sense  of  im- 
portance, if  Galileo  could  prove  that  there  were 
other  worlds  ;  for  if  like  this  in  other  respects, 
why  might  they  not  prove  to  be  inhabited  ;  and 
if  inhabited,  what  becomes  of  our  Bible  ?  for  the 
Bible  made  them  feel  that  there  could  be  no 
other  world  than  this ;  else  how  could  the  Al- 
mighty seem  to  bestow  upon  men  such  minute 
regard  ? 

Whatever  may  be  our  speculations  on  this 
topic,  no  one  can  read  the  Bible  and  not  be  filled 


126  THE  BRIEF   MENTION  OF 

with  amazement  if  lie  suffers  himself  to  dwell 
upon  the  minute  regard  which  God  shows  for  in- 
dividual men  and  human  affairs.  Some  illustra- 
tions will  make  this  appear. 

There  are  places  in  the  sacred  history  which, 
no  doubt,  try  the  faith  of  every  one  who  believes 
in  God.  I  will  refer  to  a  passage  in  Exodus  for 
an  example.  The  God  of  the  universe  giving 
directions  for  making  the  tabernacle  in  the  wilder- 
ness, is  so  minute  as  to  describe  how  the  candle- 
stick should  be  shaped,  then  ornamented.  Not 
only  so,  he  even  speaks  of  the  tongs ;  then  of 
the  snufp-dishes.  He  who  made  the  orbit  of  Ju- 
piter to  be  two  hundred  and  seventy  thousand 
miles,  who  had  ordained  Saturn  to  wander 
twenty-nine  of  our  years  before  completing  one 
revolution,  the  comet  of  1843  to  move  at  the  rate 
of  a  million  three  hundred  thousand  miles  in  an 
hour,  wrote  in  His  book  how  the  pins  of  the 
tabernacle  should  be  fixed,  what  the  loops,  tas- 
sels, fringes  should  be,  how  much  carved  \i-ork 
should  adorn  the  furniture.  When  we  come  to 
the  sacrifices,  there  is  anatomical  minuteness  : 
mention  is  made  of  clean  and  unclean  creatures 
as  discriminately  as  would  l^e  done  by  a  natural- 
ist. The  exact  measures  of  flour  and  oil  are 
given  ;  parts  of  the  animal  are  specified  for  use 
or  to  be  rejected. 

It  seems  strange  to  notice  the  frequent  use  of 


ASTRONOIVIY  IN  GENESIS.  127 

the  expression  in  speaking  of  bullocks,  rams,  and 
kids,  "  a  sweet-smelling  savor  unto  the  Lord." 
Can  this  be  He  who  made  "  the  stars  also  ?  "  Will 
He  designate  the  color  of  the  skins  to  be  used 
for  the  roof  of  the  tabernacle  in  the  wilderness  ? 
And  when  He  legislates,  will  He  do  anything 
more  than  ordain  a  nation,  then  leave  it  to  rulers 
how  to  frame  enactments? 

We  have  a  remarkable  case  in  point.  The 
daughters  of  Zelophehad  came  to  Moses  repre- 
senting that  their  father  did  not  die  in  Korah's 
rebellion,  but  for  his  own  sin ;  therefore  they 
petitioned  that  the  right  of  inheritence  might 
be  restored  to  them.  What  did  Moses  answer  ? 
He  told  them  to  wait  till  he  had  referred  the 
matter  to  the  Almighty.  Having  laid  the  case 
before  God,  he  received  from  Him  an  enactment 
that  the  females  of  a  family  might  in  certain 
cases  inherit ! 

While  God  was  ruling  among  those  orbs  which 
led  Job  to  exclaim, "  is  there  any  number  of  His 
armies  ?  and  on  whom  doth  not  His  light  arise," 
He  bestowed  as  particular  attention  to  the  juris- 
prudence relating  to  family  inheritances  among 
this  migratory  people,  as  though  they  had  been  a 
constellation,  or  zone  of  the  heavens. 

We  are  led  to  question  whether  the  people  of 
Galileo's  time. read  their  Bibles  in  a  way  to  show 
that  they  were  more  noble  than  those  of  Thessa- 


128  THE  BRIEF  MENTION   OF 

lonica  in  searching  the  Scriptures  ;  for  they  could 
not  have  considered  such  revelations  of  the  mi- 
nute attention  of  the  Infinite  God  to  individu- 
als, yet  hesitate  to  look  through  a  telescope  from 
fear  of  seeing. more  worlds  than  they  could  be- 
lieve that  the  Almighty  was  able  to  comprehend 
in  his  regard.  The  New  Testament  takes  up  the 
subject.  If  five  sparrows  were  sold  for  two 
farthings  in  the  Saviour's  time,  and  not  one  of 
them  was  forgotten  before  God,  all  questions  as 
to  the  doctrine  of  a  particular  providence,  we 
would  suppose,  should  cease  in  every  mind  which 
is  willing  to  accept  the  God  of  the  Bible. 
The  smallest  occasion  may  be  great.  A  spider 
stretched  his  web  across  the  entrance  of  the  cave 
where  Mahomet  had  secreted  himself.  The  men 
in  pursuit  of  him  said  :  "  He  cannot  have  entered 
here  ;  for  he  would  have  brushed  away  the  web 
on  going  in  :  there  has  not  been  time,  since  we 
knew  he  was  on  the  road,  for  the  spider  to  have 
done  his  work."  They,  therefore,  passed  on. 
Hence,  Mohammedanism. 

We  live  under  the  government  of  a  Being 
who,  while  He  guides  a  comet  in  a  spliere  which 
a  radius  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  miJes  must 
be  taken  to  describe,  legislates  about  birds'  nests  ; 
rules  in  the  armies  of  heaven,  yet  understands 
your  thoughts  afar  off.  "  Behold  !  God  is  great, 
and  we  know  Him  not ;  neither  can  the  number 


ASTRONOMY  IN  GENESIS.  129 

of  His  years  be  searched  out.  For  He  maketh 
small  the  drops  of  water  which  the  clouds  do 
drop  and  distil  upon  man  abundantly."  "  Also, 
can  any  understand  the  balancing  of  the  clouds, 
—  the  wondrous  work  of  Him  who  is  perfect  in 
knowledge  ?  " 

There  cannot  be  greater  happiness  (we  might 
infer  from  the  light  of  nature,  without  the  aid  of 
personal  experience)  than  to  be  on  terms  of  per- 
sonal friendship  with  the  Being  who  is  at  the 
same  time  swaying  his  sceptre  over  the  universe, 
yet  a  sparrow  cannot  fall  to  the  ground  without 
Him.  If  God  has  kindled  in  our  hearts  love  to 
them,  He  has  done  for  us  a  greater  act  than  for 
the  heavenly  bodies,  none  of  which  can  hold  com- 
munion with  Him.  It  is  better  to  be  a  Christian, 
though  ignorant,  than  an  undevout  astronomer, 
though  in  possession  of  every  secret  in  nature. 
God  cares  as  little  for  the  man  who  has  mere 
•knowledge,  as  we  care  for  the  ant  whose  hill  of 
sand  we  perceive  to  be  larger  than  that  of  his 
fellows.  "  Behold,  He  put  no  trust  in  His 
servants,  and  His  angels  He  charged  with  folly." 
Knowledge  involves  no  exercise  of  the  will. 
The  human  will  is  the  seat  of  free  agency, 
therefore,  of  moral  character.  One  who  has  ex- 
ercised his  will  in  owning  allegiance  to  God  has 
done  that,  though,  in  his  knowledge,  he  be  the 
least  of  all,  which  the  man  who  is  familiar  with 


130  THE   BEIEF   MENTION   OF 

the  laws  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  but  does  not 
spiritually  know  God,  has  failed  to  do.  If  God 
charges  His  angels  with  folly.  He  cannot  respect 
a  man,  whose  wisdom  a  child  or  a  fool  can  baffle 
by  simple  questions.  When  men  die  who  were 
eminent  only  for  learning,  eloquence,  statesman- 
ship, what  value  is  placed  on  their  learning,  their 
eloquence,  their  statesmanship,  among  celestial 
inhabitants  ?  These  things,  which  may  have 
made  them  conspicuous  here,  in  another  world 
are  like  street-lamps  left  burning  after  sunrise. 
The  humblest  of  the  heavenly  inhabitants  could 
make  an  unregenerate  man  feel  that,  being  ig- 
norant of  spiritual  things,  he  knows  nothing. 
Had  he  known  God,  his  eminent  intellectual 
powers,  of  course,  might  have  helped  him  greatly 
in  his  heavenly  career. 

To  man}^  of  earth's  Avise  men  it  must  be  said, 
hereafter,  of  the  first  principles  of  spiritual 
knowledge:  "Art  thou  a  master  of  Israel,  and 
knowest  not  these  things  ?  "  Let  the  young, 
who  are  ambitious  of  literary  distinction,  let  all 
who  are  leaders  among  men  in  worldly  knowl- 
edge,—  remember  that,  to  know  God  in  the 
Scriptural  sense  of  that  expression,  is  the  great- 
est attainment.  We  cannot  know  God  but 
by  loving  Him,  —  which  we  may  do  by  accept- 
ing Christ  as  our  Redeemer.  And  he  that  lov- 
eth  knoweth  God ;  for  God  is  Love  ! 


ASTRONOMY  IN  GENESIS.  131 

Again :  "  He  that  loveth  is  born  of  God." 
Let  any  one  consider  what  it  must  be  to  come 
into  that  relation  with  this  Infinite  Being  which 
a  child  has  to  its  father.  Such  a  relation 
we  have,  when  we  begin  to  love  God,  and 
not  before.  One  might  appear  before  him  with 
an  exact  description  of  the  heavenly  bodies  ;  but 
God  could  open  befor-e  his  eyes  in  a  moment  one 
of  those  nebulaB  which  now  puzzle  the  wisest 
astronomer,  —  thereby  making  his  knowledge 
fade  before  that  superior  light.  There  is  no  ex- 
hortation, therefore,  more  important  than  the 
one  which  Joshua  gave  Israel  at  the  close  of  his 
life,  —  an  exhortation  worthy  of  the  man  who 
had  been  the  conqueror  of  Canaan  ;  an  exhorta- 
tion which  even  so  great  a  warrior  was  not 
ashamed  to  make ;  an  exhortation  never  made 
by  Napoleon,  nor  by  a  modern  Field-Marshal  to 
their  troops :  "  Take  good  heed  to  yourselves 
that  ye  love  the  Lord  your  God." 

Think  of  Him  who  made  the  stars,  causing  to 
be  prepared  two  tables  of  stone ;  those  fingers 
whose  work  the  heavens  had  been,  making  He- 
brew letters,  so  becoming  penman  for  the  chil- 
dren of  men.  In  which  do  we  see  most  to  adore  ? 
That  He  made  the  planet  Jupiter  with  his  moons, 
together  with  Saturn  and  his  belt,  shining  on  the 
hill  tops,  into  the  valleys  of  the  wilderness  of 
Sinai ;  or,  that  He  who  made  Jupiter  and  Saturn 


132  THE  BRIEF   MENTION  OF 

caused  those  tablets  to  be  made,  wrote  the  char- 
acters of  a  human  alphabet  with  the  same  hand 
which  drew  the  orbits  for  the  comets,  made  laws 
for  the  heavenly  bodies,  ages  before  Kepler  was 
born  or  man  arose  from  the  dust ;  and  when  man 
had  ruined  himself  by  sin,  wrote  on  stone  for 
men  to  read,  "Thou  slialt  have  no  other.gods 
before  me  ?  " 

One  thing  is  a  climax  to  all  which  has  been 
said,  being  at  once  proved  by  it  and  proving  it. 
Need  I  say  it  is  the  work  of  Redemption  by 
Christ?  Perhaps  it  has  seemed  to  some  too 
much  to  believe  that  God  could  condescend  to 
this  little  earth,  become  flesh,  and  as  God-man 
be  a  sacrifice  for  sins.  But  is  there  anything 
more  condescending  in  Redemption  than  we  find 
in  the  books  of  Exodus,  Numbers,  Leviticus,  and 
Deuteronomy  ?  If  I  can  believe  that  the  same 
God  who  made  the  stars  made  the  laws,  especi- 
ally the  regulations  in  Leviticus,  I  can  believe 
whatever  the  Bible  may  declare ;  and  can  be- 
lieve it  without  demanding  explanations ;  I  can 
accept  any  declaration  concerning  it,  made  by 
the  condescending  God. 

It  was  God  manifest  in  the  flesh  who  washed 
the  feet  of  Simon  Peter  and  Judas  Iscariot.  He 
who  hung  on  the  cross  made  the  stars  also  ;  "  all 
things  were  created  by  him  and  for  him ;  with- 
out him  was  not  anything  made  that  was  made." 


ASTKONOMY  IN  GENESIS.  133 

Whoever  lives  and  dies  insensible  to  all  this,  will 
have  for  his  chief  reflection  hereafter,  that  the 
God  who  made  the  stars  made  him  and  redeemed 
him  by  giving  Christ  to  die  for  him ;  and  all  in 
vain. 

It  should  be  to  us  a  source  of  the  richest 
pleasure  in  this  world  to  believe.  At  every  ex- 
perience of  God's  goodness  to.  us  we  may  say, 
"  He  made  the  stars  also ;"  thus  deepening  our 
sense  of  his  marvelous  loving-kindness.  It  will 
seem  to  ennoble  the  future  greatness  of  redemp- 
tion in  each  particular  case  for  an  angel  in  con- 
templating it  to  say,  "  He  made  the  stars  also." 
It  will  be  a  joy  to  liave  walked  by  faith  in  this 
world  with  such  a  Bible ;  we  thus  accomplish- 
ing, each  of  us,  the  great  purpose  of  our  redemp- 
tion, which  is,  to  believe.  Or,  must  we  have 
every  thing  explained?  Do  we  require  the  God 
who  made  the  constellations  to  help  us  under- 
stand every  thing  before  we  receive  it?  Ex- 
cept we  see  in  the  Saviour's  hand  the  print  of 
the  nails,  and  put  our  finger  in  the  print  of  the 
nails,  and  thrust  our  hand  into  his  side,  will  we 
refuse  to  believe  ? 

Simply  refusing  to  believe  God  in  the  wil- 
derness, postponed  the  entrance  of  Israel  into 
Caanan  one  generation,  till  the  unbelievers  had 
all  perished.  Inspiration  speaks  of  them  as  car- 
cases ;  "  Whose  carcases  fell  in  the  wilderness." 


134  THE  BRIEF  MENTION  OF 

Unbelief  is  the  great  human  sin.  It  will  cost 
more  people  the  loss  of  heaven  than  any  other 
one  thing.  Christ  himself  is  set  to  be  with  every 
man  a  corner  stone,  or  a  stone  of  stumbling. 
We  sliould  never  ask,  Do  3^ou  believe  our  heav- 
enly Father  would  do  thus  and  thus  ?  but  we 
should  ask,  Has  He  done  it  ?  Does  the  Bible  de- 
clare it?  Then  implicitly  believe,  nor  make 
your  intellectual  apprehensions  nor  3'our  moral 
sentiments  the  rule  for  the  divine  proceedings. 

When  a  discoverer  or  thinker  embraces  a 
theory  which  conflicts  with  revelation,  we  should 
class  it  at  once  with  "  science,  falsely  so  called." 
We  are  prone  to  exalt  our  wisdom  above  inspi- 
ration. If  men  would  remember  of  how  little 
importance  they  are  in  themselves,  and  that  it  is 
infinite  condescension  in  God  to  ask  for  their 
love  ;  if  they  would  ponder  that  question  of  the 
inspired  words,  "  Is  it  gain  to  the  Almighty  that 
thou  makest  thy  way  perfect?  Avill  he  reprove 
thee  for  fear  of  thee  ?  will  he  enter  with  thee 
into  judgment,"  the  exhortations  of  the  Gospel 
would  not  make  us  think,  as  perhaps  they  do,  that 
God  solicits  our  love  for  benefit  to  himself. 

He  who  made  the  stars  also,  made  us,  a  little 
lower  than  the  angels,  and  crowned  us  with  glory 
and  honor.  This  God,  the  Father,  the  Son  and 
the  Holy  Ghost,  made  us  and  redeemed  us  by 
the  sacrifice  of  the  Son  in  the  flesh.     He  offers 


ASTRONOMY  IN  GENESIS.  135 

to  sanctify  our  natures  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
third  person  of  this  adorable  Trinity.  Will  any 
one  of  us  fail  of  so  great  salvation  ?  "  Where- 
fore, as  the  Holy  Ghost  saith.  To  day,  if  ye  Avill 
hear  bis  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts." 


I 


VIII. 

EMULATION  IN  HEAVEN  AMONG  THE 
REDEEMED, 

"This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus 
came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners ;  of  whom  I  am  chief."  —  i  Timothy 
i:  15- 

If  there  is  anything  like  emulation  among  the 
redeemed  in  heaven,  we  may  suppose  that  it  is 
of  a  kind  unknown  on  earth.  It  was  written 
long  ago  by  a  good  man,  that  if  certain  men 
should  enter  heaven  as  they  now  are,  their  great 
surprise  would  be  not  to  find  angels  laying 
schemes  to  make  themselves  archangels.  Per- 
haps these  words  of  Paul  in  the  text,  express 
the  chief  subject  of  emulation  among  the  re- 
deemed, "  sinners,  —  of  whom  I  am  chief." 
With  them  it  may  be,  that  emulation  consists  in 
harmonious  strife  to  settle  among  themselves  who 
of  them  were  chief  sinners,  and  are  now  chief 
debtors  to  the  grace  of  God. 

It  would  not  be  easy  for  any  of  us  to  conceive 
(136)      ^ 


AMONG  THE  KEDEEMED.  137 

of  such  emulation,  unless  we  have  already  come 
to  the  deliberate  opinion,  that  anything  which 
we  can  experience  short  of  hell  is  to  us  mercy. 

Who  will  probably  seem  in  heaven  to  have 
the  highest  claim  as  the  chief  of  sinners,  to  be 
greatest  debtors  to  infinite  grace  ? 

Let  us  suppose  the  inhabitants  of  heaven  from 
among  men  engaged  in  this  rivalry,  pleading  each 
his  claim  of  owing  most  to  divine  mercy.  We 
will  judge  between  them  in  this  harmonious 
strife. 

I.  The  Apostle  Paul  fiest  brings  for- 
ward HIS  CLAIM. 

"  I  persecuted  the  Church  of  God.  That  in- 
fant church,  the  fruit  of  a  Saviour's  tears  and 
blood  was  my  prey.  I  hated  it  with  implacable 
hatred.  I  went  into  houses  and  dragged  Chris- 
tians to  prison.  Neither  age  nor  sex  found 
mercy  at  my  hands. 

"  Being  exceedingly  mad  against  them  I  com- 
pelled some  of  them  to  blaspheme.  I  saw  their 
agony  with  heartfelt  satisfaction.  Around  you 
in  the  heavenly  company  are  the  witnesses 
of  my  crimes.  Behold  the  spirits  of  those  whom 
I  persecuted  even  to  death.  They  came  out  of 
great  tribulation,  inflicted  on  them  by  me. 

"  The  most  affecting  thing  in  my  heavenly  his- 


138  EMULATION  IN  HEAVEN 

toiy,  was  my  first  interview  with  the  martyr 
Stephen.  When  I  saw  him  last  on  earth,  he  was 
kneeling  to  receive  the  stones  from  the  murder- 
ers hands,  and  I  was  consenting  unto  his  death, 
and  kept  the  raiment  of  them  that  slew  him.  I 
did  it  not  from  love  of  pain  and  blood,  but  as  a 
religious  duty.  Little  did  I  ever  think  of  meet- 
ing him  in  heaven ;  but  his  must  have  been  the 
greater  surprise  to  meet  me  here,  though  with 
his  last  breath  he  prayed  for  me :  '  Lord,  lay 
not  this  sin  to  their  charge.'  His  blood  infuri- 
ated me  with  more  zeal  for  Christian  blood. 

"  On  my  way  to  Damascus  with  full  authority 
to  bind,  imprison  and  kill  every  Christian,  He 
-who  loved  me  and  gave  himself  for  me,,appeared 
and  spake  to  me,  and  in  a  tone  of  mingled  re- 
monstrance and  pity,  said,  '  Saul,  Saul,  why 
persecutest  thou  me  ? '  When  he  might  have 
consumed  me  with  his  lightnings,  he  spoke  to  me 
with  gentle  upbraiding.  He  could  have  suffered 
me  to  go  on  and  fill  up  the  measure  of  my  ini- 
quity, and  be  the  most  guilty  spirit  in  hell ;  in- 
stead of  which  he  has  made  me,  as  you  will  all 
acknowledge,  chief  debtor  to  his  love. 

"  In  contrast  with  my  former  life  of  blood,  see 
what  he  permitted  me  to  do.  When  it  pleased 
God  who  separated  me  from  my  birth,  to  reveal 
his  Son  in  me,  forthwith  I  became  a  preacher 


AMONG  THE  REDEEMED.  139 

and  an  Apostle  to  the  Gentiles.  I  preached  to 
the  nations  who  had  never  known  Him,  the  un- 
searchable riches  of  Christ.  I  was  permitted  to 
write  a  large  part  of  the  New  Testament  to  be 
the  guide  of  thousands  of  generations  to  heaven. 
I  was  permitted  for  Christ's  sake  to  be  in  dangers 
more  abundant  tlian  all  my  companions,  in  stripes 
above  measure,  in  prisons  more  frequent,  in 
deaths  oft. 

"  I  appeal  to  what  I  once  was,  and  what  I  was 
permitted  to  do ;  to  Avhat  I  was  by  the  grace  of 
God,  and  to  my  present  bliss  in  looking  upon 
millions  who  by  my  influence  were  brought  to 
heaven,  if  I  was  not  in  the  first  place  the  chief 
of  sinners  ;  if  I  am  not  now  the  greatest  debtor 
to  the  grace  of  God." 

II.  Our  attention  is  noAV  demanded  by  a  small 
company  of  men  who  cannot  admit  the  claims  of 
their  beloved  brother  Paul,  to  be  a  greater  sin- 
ner and  a  greater  debtor  to  mercy  than  they. 
They  are  The  Crucifiers  of  Christ,  whom 
we  will  suppose  to  have  been  converted  at  the 
day  of  Pentecost. 

"Is  it  possible,"  they  say,  "that  blood  can 
fall  with  so  deep  a  stain  on  a  murderer's  liand 
as  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God  ?  "  "  With  my 
hands,"  says  one  of  them,   "  the  crown  of  thorns 


' 


140  EMULATION  IN  HEAVEN 

was  forced  upon  his  head."  "  But  I  bound  his 
hands."  says  another.  "  I  scourged  him,"  says 
another.  "  I  drove  the  nails  into  his  hands  and 
feet."  "  I  am  the  Centurion  who  thrust  the 
spear  into  his  side."  "  It  is  a  great  crime  to  have 
been  the  means  of  death  to  a  good  man  ;  but  to 
have  killed  the  Prince  of  Life,  to  have  been  the 
betrayers  and  murderers  of  the  Son  of  God,  is 
the  chief  transgression.  Better  to  have  been 
the  murderers  of  the  universal  Church  than  to 
have  platted  a  thorn  of  the  Saviour's  q,rown,  to 
have  driven  one  nail  into  that  mysterious  flesh 
of  the  God-man.  Why  did  not  the  graves  re- 
lease their  dead  and  swallow  us  up  ?  Why  did 
not  the  rocks  of  Calvary  crush  our  bodies,  and. 
the  darkness  of  the  ninth  hour  leave  us  in  ever- 
lasting chains  under  darkness  unto  the  judgment 
of  the  great  day  ? 

*'  Instead  of  this,  the  Saviour  sent  his  Apostles 
first  of  air  to  us;  —  'beginning  at  Jerusalem,' 
he  said,  '  with  offers  of  pardon  through  my 
blood.'  On  us  was  the  first  descent  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  at  Pentecost ;  we  were  the .  early 
fruits  of  the  harvest  from  that  corn  of  wheat 
which  on  Calvary  fell  into  the  ground  and  died. 

"  If  any  guilt  surpasses  ours,  declare  it ;  men- 
tion one  thing  which  surpasses  this  :  '  and  killed 
the  Prince  of  Life.'  Tell  us,  if  3^ou  can,  who 
owes  more  to  divine  forbearance  than  we.     The 


AMONG  THE  EEDEEMED.  141 

guilt  of  the  Apostle  Paul,  —  it  sinks  into  insig- 
nificance by  the  side  of  ours.  Never  did  he 
know  such  sensations,  not  even  in  his  meeting 
with  the  martyr  Stephen,  as  we  had,  when  we 
first  looked  upon  the  face  of  our  Redeemer  in 
heaven.  '  When  we  last  saw  thee,'  we  said,  '  we 
were  nailing  thee  to  the  accursed  tree  ; '  but  ere 
we  could  repeat  our  thanks  for  pardon,  we  were 
filled  with  full  assurance  of  his  love.  We  walk 
these  golden  streets,  we  range  these  heavenly 
fields,  and  talk  of  Calvary  with  feelings  un- 
known to  all  the  heavenly  host.  If  any  are  to 
be  recognized  here  as  chief  sinners  on  earth  and 
chief  debtors  to  the  grace  of  God,  they  must  be 
The  crucifiers  of  Christ." 

III.  "Give  room,"  says  a  company  of  shin- 
ing ones,  whom  we   recognize   as  A  Band  of 

ONCE  HEATHEN  CHIEFS  AND   WAERIOES. 

•"  We  shall  c(»nclude  this  contest  by  our  re- 
hearsal. We  were  the  Gentiles  that  knew  not 
God.  We  worshipped  the"  devil,  and  faithful 
subjects  we  were  to  our  lord.  No  souls  went 
lower  than  we  in  degradation ;  no  vices,  no 
crimes  were  too  abominable  for  us.  Some  of  us 
were  worshipped  as  gods ;  on  our  altars  human 
victims  bled  and  burned.  Tribes  fell  by  tribes 
into  our  hands,  and  we  were  following  them  down 
to  darkness  and  the  pit.     The  Son  of  God  sent 


142  EMULATION   IN   HEAVEN 

missionaries  to  our  islands ;  they  told  us  about 
the  true  God;  of  the  Sacrifice  for  our  sins;  of 
pardon,  regeneration,  holiness,  heaven.  Then  we 
were  washed,  justified,  sanctified,  by  the  renew- 
ing of  the  Holy  Ghost.  God  never  found  souls 
lower  in  guilt  than  we ;  of  course,  none  were 
ever  raised  so  far  by  divine  grace. 

"  Here  is  the  martyr  of  Raratonga,  whom  we 
slew,  the  missionary  John  Williams;  but  instead 
of  Christians  sending  fleets  to  destroy  us,  the 
children  of  Great  Britain  sent  a  missionary 
packet  to  our  shores  and  her  name  was,  '  John 
Williams ;'  as  though  they  would  heap  coals  of 
fire  on  our  heads  ;  and  the  children  of  America 
sent  the  Morning  Star  with  Bibles,  to  which  they 
.told  us  we  should  do  well  to  take  he.ed  until  the 
day  dawned,  and  the  day-star  should  arise  in  our 
hearts.  In  all  this  we  saw  the  hand,  we  felt  the 
heart,  of  God  ,*•  this  was  the  Gospel  of  peace ;  it 
melted  our  hearts;  we  were  led  captive  by 
mercy.  We  almost  question  the  claim  of  angels 
to  the  highest  tokens  of  the  love  of  God.  At 
least  we  can  say,  if  they  are  the  height,  we  are 
the  depth,  of  the  love  of  God ;  and  it  was  more 
for  that  love  to  i"each  down  to  us  than  up  to 
them. 

"  What  unmerited  love,  to  find  us  out  in  our 
islands,  and  bring  salvation  to  us  !  True,  we  can 
speak  of  no  striking  exhibition  of  God's  power 


J 


AMONG  THE  EEDEEMED.  143 

that  is  uncommon,  in  the  conversion  of  sinners, 
like  that  whicli  Paul  experienced,  and  our  breth- 
ren at  Pentecost.  But  we  were  the  lost  sheep 
in  the  wilderness  of  ocean  :  the  Good  Shepherd 
found  us,  and  brought  us  liome  to  His  fold.  We 
cannot  yield  to  any  who  have  yet  spoken,  in  our 
conviction  that  we  were  the  greatest  sinners,  be- 
cause our  guilt  was  sickening:  we  were  more 
than  brutal ;  we  had  the  instincts  of  brutes,  and 
the  passions  of  animals.  Hideous,  loathsome, 
fiendish,  as  we  were,  we  are  now  companions 
with  the  saints  in  light.  If  the  contrast  of  the 
heavenly  with  the  earthly  condition  may  enter 
into  the  account,  whose  robes  seem  to  them  so 
resplendent  as  ours  ?  And  if  distance  from  God 
enhances  the  love  which  brings  back  the  lost, 
give  us  the  joy  of  confessing  that  we  are  debt- 
ors-to. His  mercy  more  than  you  all." 

IV.  Before  the  eyes  of  the  assembled  multi- 
tude appears  a  company  who  represent  The 
Children  of  Heaven.  Peculiar  beauty 
dwells  in  their  faces  and  forms  ;  immortal  youth 
breathes  from  their  looks  and  motions.  The  at- 
tention of  the  multitude  is  chained  while  they 
thus  proceed :  — 

"  We  represent  the  innumerable  host  of  spir- 
its who  came  to  heaven  in  infancy  ;  we  are  from 
every  tribe  under  heaven.     There  was  not  one 


144  EMULATION  IN   HEAVEN 

of  all  the  tribes  of  men  who.did  not  send  some 
infants  to  heaven.  Some  of  us  were  murdered 
by  our  parents  as  soon  as  we  were  born.  Each 
heathen  river,  each  island  shore,  is  the  burying- 
place  of  our  bodies.  Among  us  is  the  compau}^ 
of  those  who  were  slain  by  Herod,  —  martyrs 
for  the  Child  Jesus,  — and  those  who  have  per- 
ished by  the  wars,  famines,  and  diseases  which 
have  swept  the  earth.  With  us  are  the  children 
of  Christian  families,  baptized  in  Christian  tem- 
ples or  homes,  buried  amid  broken  hearts,  but 
waiting  with  surprising  beauty  and  glory  to  wel- 
come pious  parents  hither.  Do  you  speak  of  the 
grace  of  God  ?  If  grace  consists  in  the  absence 
of  all  merit,  who  are  debtors  at  all  to  divine 
grace  compared  with  us?  We  did  not  even  be- 
lieve on  Christ,  —  for  we  never  knew  him  ;  but, 
being  involved  in  the  first  father's  transgression, 
without  opportunity  of  repentance  and  faith  in 
the  Saviour,  we  were  included  in  the  free  gift : 
salvation  was  bestowed  on  us,  who  never  sought 
it.  Consider,  too,  the  goodness  of  God,  in  our 
early  death.  If  those  of  us  who  were  born  in 
heathenism  had  lived  to  manhood,  we  should 
have  perished  in  our  sins ;  but  God  removed  us 
from  such  exposure,  to  heaven.  Some  of  us, 
though  born  in  Christian  lands,  were  the  chil- 
dren of  irreligious  parents,  whose  example  and 
influences,  if  we  had  lived,  might  have  prevented 


AMONG  THE  REDEEMED.  145 

our  salvation.  Look  at  some  of  our  homes,  — 
our  parents  and  all  our  brothers  and  sisters  un- 
converted I  See  what  peril  we  have  escaped,  by 
the  merciful  hand  of  death !  God  in  His  good- 
ness interposed  to  save  us.  He  has  made  our 
death,  in  many  instances,  the  means  of  the  con- 
version of  parents.  Such  joy  as  we  behold  in 
the  recognition  of  a  glorified  child  by  the  parents 
as  they  enter  heaven,  we  cannot  utter :  angels 
cannot  witness  it  without  emotion.  We  have 
seen  fathers  and  mothers  meeting  the  children 
who  died  in  infancy,  and  left  their  parents  with- 
out hope  ;  and  God  sanctified  the  affliction,  and 
the  parents  ascribe  their  salvation  and  eternal 
union  with  their  children  in  heaven,  to  the  re- 
moval of  the  children  by  an  early  death.  Those 
of  us  whose  parents  lived  and  died  impenitent, 
and  are  lost,  though  the  first  budding  instinct  of 
filial  affection  remained  in  our  hearts,  and  made 
us  hope  to  meet  our  parents  here,  neverLheless, 
are  made  to  see  what  a  mercy  it  is  that  God 
snatched  us  away  from  an  irreligious,  prayerless 
influence,  and  saved  us.  Why  did  He  not  leave 
us  to  perish  with  our  parents  ?  Because  lie  set 
His  love  upon  us,  therefore  did  He  deliver  us  ; 
and  our  rescue  from  such  imminent  danger  and 
the  peculiar  love  of  God  in  our  early  death 
bids  us  not  to  weep  for  those  who  would  have 
destroyed  us  by  their  influence,  if  God  had  not 


146  EMULATION  IN   HEAVEN 

interposed  to  save  us.  God  and  heaven  are  our 
father  and  mother,  sister  and  brother.  '  O 
Death !  where  is  thy  sting  ? '  The  monster 
Death  was  the  means  of  our  salvation.  '  O  grave  ! 
where  is  thy  victory  ?  '  Oiir  graves  received  our 
bodies  each  for  safe-keejjing  against  the  resur- 
rection of  the  just,  and  the  strange  union  of  soul 
and  body,  of  which  we  have  no  remembrance, 
and  can  form  no  conception,  is  to  be  ours,  with 
sensations  of  pleasure  unknown  to  tlie  rest  of  the 
rising  dead.  Though  every  saint  will  have  im- 
mortal youth,  our  youth  will  have  in  it  some- 
thing peculiar;  for  the  only  homes,  the  only 
scenes  of  childhood,  which  we  can  remember,  are 
are  those  of  heaven.  We  were  children  in 
heaven  ;  and  through  eternity  the  vivid  recollec- 
tions of  the  first  impressions  made  upon  our 
opening  minds  by  the  scenes  of  heaven  will  make 
our  whole  being  an  eternal  morning.  We  were 
never  conscious  of  sinning  against  God.  Had 
we  lived,  we  should  have  had  consciousness  of 
sin.  We  never  rejected  the  Saviour,  or  cruci- 
fied Him  afresh,  or  grieved  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
God  ;  and  it  is  the  subject  of  our  grateful  praise 
that  by  death  God  prevented  us  from  so  doing, 
and,  instead  of  letting  us  spend  years  in  sin, 
gave  us  those  years  in  the  purity  of  heaven. 
Adore  with  us  that  grace  which  selected  us  from 
a  ruined  world,  and  saved  us  of  its  own  accord, 


AMONG  THE  REDEEMED.  147 

when  we  were  unconscious  of  it.  You  all  seem 
to  have  had  grace  bestowed  on  you ;  but  we  are, 
as  it  were,  grace  itself.  Boasting  is,  indeed,  ex- 
cluded from  any  share  in  our  salvation.  Grace, 
grace  in  us  is  all  in  all."    • 

V.  There  follows  these  words,  from  the  army 
of  children  in  heaven,  —  a  deep,  rich  song,  its 
joy  mingled  with  pensive  strains,  from  a  host 
whose  feelings  burst  forth  in  notes  of  praise 
whenever  the  grace  of  God  is  mentioned  in  their 
hearing.  They  are  The  Converts  of  Chris- 
tian Congregations.  Most  of  them  declare 
that  their  Christian  privileges  and  their  long  re- 
sistance of  God's  call  and  His  forbearance  with 
them  under  their  great  guilt,  make  them  the 
chief  debtors  to  divine  grace.  "  What  is  the 
guilt  of  Paul,"  they  say,  "  who  did  not  sin  un- 
der the  clear  strivings  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  but 
ignorantly,  in  unbelief?  What  is  the  guilt  of 
the  crucifiers  of  Christ,  and  of  barbarians,  who 
did  not  enjoy  the  teachings  of  that  Spirit? 
What  are  the  obligations  of  the  children,  com- 
pared with  ours,  when  you  think  that  we  were 
saved,  not  only  without  merit,  but  against  infin- 
ite demerit  ?  Was  not  blasphemy  against  the 
Holy  Ghost  the  unpardonable  sin  ?  Does  it  not 
follow  that  any  sins  against  the  Holy  Spirit  are 
greater  than   others,  —  because,   to  sin   against 

^^  OF  THB 


148  EMULATION  IN   HEAVEN 

right  and  conviction  constitutes  tlie  most  inex- 
cusable sin?  We  had  the  whole  Bible  from 
childhood,  and  Sabbatlis  and  sanctuaries,  and 
with  us  the  Holy  Spirit  early  began  to  strive. 
But  for  a  long  time  we  grieved  him  every  day, 
We  despised  his  warnings,  turned  away  from  the 
Gospel,  walked  after  our  own  hearts:  one  year 
after  another  ended,  and  left  us  without  God. 
With  a  full  impression  of  what  we  ought  to  do, 
we  refused  to  do  it.  Should  not  the  servant 
who  knew  his  Lord's  will,  and  did  it  not,  be 
beaten  with  many  stripes?  Who  of  all  this 
heavenly  company,  professing  to  have  been  the 
chief  of  sinners,  knew  their  Lord's  will  so  well 
as  we  ?  Think  of  us  as  members  of  Bible- 
classes,  studying  the  Word  of  God,  knowing  it 
by  heart,  hearing  earnest,  affectionate  appeals 
from  our  teachers  and  companions, — yet  resist- 
ing all. 

"  In  yonder  world  of  punishment,  there  are 
none  who  suffer  so  much  from  conscience  as  those 
who  died  under  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  and 
now  remember  the  awakenings,  the  convictions, 
the  sermons,  the  solemn  scenes  of  religious  inter- 
est,—  the  times  when  they  were  'almost  per- 
suaded.' Souls  who  went  from  the  sight  of  the 
Lord's  table  to  lie  down  in  sorrow,  have  no 
keener  anguish  than  when  they  recall  that  table 
as  it  stood  in  the    house  of  God,  —  its  white 


AMONG  THE  BEDEEMED.  149 

cloth,  its  silver  flagon  and  cup,  the  bread  ready- 
to  be  broken,  the  looks  and  words  of  the  pastor, 
repeating  the  invitation  of  Jesus,  '  This  do  in  re- 
membrance of  me  ; '  and  then-  the  dividing  as- 
sembly, —  such  an  emblem  of  the  separations  at 
the  last  day  !  Now,  had  we,  with  all  our  culti- 
vation of  minds,  our  enlightened  consciences 
our  memories  stored  with  Scripture  and  hymns 
—  had  we  perished,  you  all  admit  that  no  souls 
in  hell  would  be  so  tormented  as  we.  For  us  to 
have  lost  heaven  and  to  have  spent  eternity  with 
the  wicked,  would  have  been  the  severest  suffer- 
ing which  God  can  inflict.  Some  who  worship- 
ped with  us,  and  sang  out  of  the  same  book  now 
suffer  it.  How  near  we  came  to  the  brink  of 
ruin !  Our  feet  had  well-nigh  slipped.  The 
centuries  of  our  heavenly  life  have  not  abated 
our  astonisliment  at  being  saved.  We  find  our- 
selves, often  repeating  that  inspired  description 
of  ourselves,  — '  For  we  ourselves  also  were 
sometimes  foolish,  disobedient,  serving  divers 
lusts  aind  pleasures,  living  in  malice  and  envy, 
harteful  and  hating  one  another.'  It  is  our  de- 
liberate opinion  that  the  greatest  sinners  and 
the  greatest  debtors  to  the  grace  of  God  are  to 
be  found  among  members  of  Christian  Congre- 
gations." 

The  controversy  might  be  prolonged  ;  it  doubt- 
less is.     May  we  hear  it  forever ! 


150  EMULATION  IN  HEAVEN 

If  asked  now  what  our  judgment  is,  in  view 
of  this  friendly  contest  in  lieaven  for  the  chief 
place  as  debtor  to  the  grace  of  God,  could  we 
hesitate  for  a  reply?  When  we  think  of  the 
criminality  of  rejecting,  of  simply  neglecting 
Jesus  Christ,  under  all  the  influences  of  educa- 
tion, of  Christian  example,  of  persuasion,  of  pro- 
vidence, of  death,  of  conscience  enlightened  by 
the  Bible  and  illuminated  by  the  suggestions  of 
the  sanctuary,  beginning  with  childhood,  extend- 
ing through  mature  years,  and  in  some  cases  to 
old  age,  of  living  under  the  persuasive  influen- 
ces of  the  Christian  religion ;  sacraments,  pro- 
vidences, the  Holy  Spirit,  prayer,  special  bless- 
ings ;  the  rich  gifts  of  an  all-bounteous  loving 
kindness  and  tender  mercy  ;  and  then  when  we 
consider  what  we  should  have  suffered  had  we 
perished  under  these  influences,  what  our  reflec-. 
tions  would  have  been,  what  an  eternit}^,  ours, 
witli  all  our  knowledge,  opportunities,  —  and 
heaven  lost !  forever  lost !  Tell  us,  ye  who  fell 
from  heaven,  would  not  our  loss  of  heaven  have 
been  greater  to  us  than  it  would  have  been»to 
any  others  of  the  children  of  men? 

This  question,  my  hearers,  may  none  of  us  have 
occasion  to  ponder  when  it  is  forever  too  late  for 
the  consideration  of  it  to  be  of  any  avail. 

Some  of  the  most  amiable  of  this  congregation 
in  the  esteem  of  their  fellow  men,  might  be  told  , 


AMONG  THE  REDEEMED.  151 

by  their  Judge,  "  It  shall  be  more  tolerable  for 
Tyre  and  Sidon  in  the  day  of  judgment  than  for 
you."  None  have  move  occasion  than  you  who 
liave  enjoyed  the  privileges  of  the  sanctuary  to 
say,  "  How  shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect  so 
great  salvation  !  "  Let  me  then  strive  to  impress 
these  few  truths  upon  you  by  the  help  of  this 
subje.ct. 

I.  Of  all  the  titles  of  Christ  this  holds  the 
chief  place.,  Saviour  of  Sinners. 

The  Apostle  Paul  tells  us,  assuredly  true  and 
worthy  of  the  fullest  acceptance  is  tliis,  that 
"  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sin- 
ners." 

The  full  acceptance  of  this  truth  will  put  an 
end  to  the  idea,  that  Christ's  mission  was  one  of 
philanthropy  ;  that  he  was  a  great  "reformer  ;  that 
human  salvation  is  merely  development. 

He  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners.  Ev- 
ery thing  else,  civilization,  science,  culture,  arts, 
social  human  happiness,  is  each  a  fruit  of  redemp- 
tion and  of  pardon.  Other  blessings  are  merely 
the  things,  which  Robert  Hall  says,  "  Christian- 
ity scatters  about  her  profusely  on  her  sublime 
march  to  immortality." 

But  the  great  woi'k  of  Christ  is  to  save  sin- 
ners. If  you  are  a  sinner,  you  are  an  object  of 
redeeming  grace ;  if  you  are  not  a  sinner  in  need 


152  EMULATION  IN  HEAVEN 

of  an  infinite  atonement,  you  may,  indeed, 
gather  many  of  the  scattered  blessings  of  Chris- 
tianity ;  but  you  will  at  the  most,  only  eat  of  the 
crumbs  which  fall  from  the  Master's  table. 

But  believe  and  feel  yourself  to  be,  in  view  of 
your  privileges,  one  of  the  chief  debtors  to  the 
grace  of  God,  and  you  will  be  a  rival  with  Paul 
for  the  distinction.  There  probably  is  not  a  bet- 
ter unconverted  man  among  us,  than  the  young 
man  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel.  Many  a  virtuous 
man,  many  an  estimable  woman,  has  feelings  to- 
wards evangelical  j-eligion  which  compare  well 
with  those  which  Saul  of  Tarsus  had  towards 
Stephen.  They  would  be  willing  to  keep  the 
raiment  of  those  who  would  stone  it. 

It  is  to  be  doubted  if  Saul  was  more  conscien- 
tious than  some  people  among  us  are,  in  their 
strong  dislike  of  the  doctrines  of  the  cross. 
"  And  such  were  .  some  of  you,  but  ye  are 
washed ;"  and  have  taken  place  with  the  claim- 
ants for  the  largest  indebtedness  to  divine  grace. 

It  is  plain  from  what  has  been  said. 

Secondly,  that  nothing  on  earth  is  more  unlike 
the  spirit  of  heaven  than  a  self -justifying  spirit. 

Some  of  our  friends  say,  "  I  am  no  worse  than 
others ;  I  shall  fare  as  well  as  others ;  I  have 
suffered  enough  here  without  suffering  hereaf- 


AMONG  THE  REDEEMED.  153 

ter ;  God  will  not  punish  me  for  a  few  sins  ;  I 
am  less  guilty  than  some  who  profess  more  than 
I." 

If  this  be  our  spirit  we  may  be  sure  that  we 
have  no  inheritance  with  the  company  of  heaven. 
The  spirit  of  heaven  is  a  humble  self-condemn- 
ing spirit.  The  language  of  heaven  is,  "  Unto 
him  that  loved  us  and  washed  us  from  our  sins 
in  his  blood." 

It  appears  from  our  subject, 

Thirdly,  The  greatness  of  guilt  may  he  a  ground 
of  hope  rather  than  of  despair. 

Some  of  the  greatest  sinners  on  earth  will  be 
in  heaven ;  indeed  we  may  say  that  if  there  be 
one  whose  guilt  we  are  ready  to  feel,  is  unpar- 
alleled, we  may  have  hope  that  heaven  will  con- 
tain him  when  they  bring  the  glory  and  honor  of 
the  nations  into  it ;  the  greatest  glory  and  honor 
will  be  penitent  thieves,  the  woman  who  was  a 
sinner,  and  Saul  of  Tarsus. 

Has  any  one  here  been  a  great  transgressor  ? 
Will  3^ou  have  uncommon  happiness  in  heaven? 
Will  you  be  a  conspicuous  monument  of  the 
grace  of  God  ?  To  find  great  sinners,  those 
whom  God  adjudges  to  be  such,  we  would  not 
probably  be  sent  to  the  haunts  of  vice,  to  the 
ignorant,  the  neglected,  or  even  the  abandoned ; 


154  EMULATION  IN  HEAVEN 

but  perhaps  to  the  house  of  God  where  some, 
exalted  to  heaven  in  their  opportunities  of  know- 
ing God  and  their  duty,  are  in  their  hearts  without 
God.  They  probably  would  have  more  to  reflect 
upon  if  lost,  than  any ;  and,  if  saved,  will  not 
admit  that  any  deserved  it  less  than  they. 

There  are  among  us  those  who  are  ready  to 
dispute  with  Paul  his  claim  to  be  the  chief  debtor 
to  the  grace  of  God.  Should  opportunity  be 
given,  some  would  humbly  but  earnestly  declare 
that  they  would  not  admit  that  there  is  a  soul 
on  earth  or  in  heaven  who  has  greater  reason  than 
they  to  adore  the  grace  of  God,  or  one  who 
owed  more  to  divine  forbearance,  long-suffering, 
gentleness  and  compassion. 

We  are  each  destined  to  spend  eternity  in  re- 
viewing life ;  and  unquestionably  the  most  ab- 
sorbing object  of  our  thoughts  will  be  Jesus 
Christ :  and  the  theme  on  which  we  shall  chiefly 
dwell  will  be  that  "  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners."  But  it  may  prove  to  be 
the  case  that  some  one  of  us  will  have  occasion 
to  say,  No  one  has  lost  more  in  losing  heaven 
than  I ;  no  one  lost  it  for  less  than  I ;  so  that  of 
all  who  have  occasion  to  weep  and  wail,  I  am 
chief. 

No  doubt  every  one  of  you  will  have  occasion 
in  heaven  or  hell  either  to  claim  that  he  is  chief 
debtor  to  the  grace  of  God,  or  that  he  is  of  all 
men  most  miserable. 


AMONG  THE  REDEEMED.  155 

You  will  say,  Who  had  more  to  enlighten,  re- 
strain, subdue,  in  parentage,  religious  instructions, 
warnings,  escapes  from  destruction,  recoveries 
from  sickness,  the  death  of  companions,  awaken- 
ings, forgivenesses,  answers  to  prayer  when  on 
the  brink  of  destruction.  "  As  for  me,  ray  feet 
were  almost  gone,  my  steps  had  well  nigh  slip- 
ped." Many  and  many  a  time  there  was  but  a 
step  between  me  and  death.  How  I  abused  the 
mercy  of  God,  how  defiant  I  was  to  his  threat- 
enings,  how  insensible  to  sparing  mercy ;  I  feel 
willing  to  contest  with  any  sinner  from  earth  his 
claim  as  owing  most  to  the  grace  of  God.  I 
would  demand  of  him  to  prove,  if  he  could,  that 
there  was  more  long-suffering,  gentleness,  unde- 
served mercy  in  his  case  than  mine. 

Others  may  be  heard  to  say,  Come  and  see 
if  there  be  any  sorrow,  like  unto  my  sorrow. 
To  whom  of  you,  companions  in  misery,  is 
heaven  more  of  a  loss  than  to  me  ?  Who  of  you 
came  nearer  to  being  saved.  Who  had  more  done 
to  save  him  ?  Who  gave  up  heaven  for  less  than 
I  ?  To  whom  is  the  company  of  the  lost  more 
distressing  than  to  me  ?  Is  there  any  sorrow 
like  unto  my  sorrow  ? 

And  so  forever  and  ever,  succeeding  ages  will 
but  repeat  our  assertion,  that  no  one  owes  more 
than  each  of  us  to  the  grace  which  bringeth  sal- 
vation ;  or  has  more  occasion  to  lift  up  his  voice 


156  EMULATION   IN  HEAVEN 

in  loudest  lamentations.  And  all  this  in  conse- 
quence of  one  act  of  accepting  or  neglecting  the 
great  salvation.  One  single  submission  to  the 
call  of  God,  or  one  refusal  to  accept  his  offers, 
will  be  the  decisive  act  which  will  determine 
whether  we  spend  eternity  claiming  to  be  chief 
debtor  to  the  grace  of  God,  or  chief  debtor  to 
His  avenging  law  and  neglected  gospel.  It  is 
indeed  a  solemn  thing  to  die,  but  is  it  not 
a  more  solemn  thing  to  live  under  such  lia- 
bilities? I  would  not  close  my  eyes  in  sleep  till 
I  had  committed  my  soul  to  those  hands  which 
on  the  cross  had  on  one  side  the  impenitent 
thief  and  on  the  other  the  penitent  thief,  Jesus 
in  the  midst,  proclaiming  as  it  does  to  all  men 
their  danger  and  their  only  refuge.  Some 
stand  on  slippery  places.  "  Their  feet  shall 
slide  in  due  time."  No  one  has  listened  to 
the  voice  of  mercy  but  will  see  the  time  when 
he  will  say  as  Bradford  tlie  martyr  once  did 
when  he  looked  on  a  felon  going  to  execution, 
"  There,  but  for  the  grace  of  God  goes  John 
Bradford ;"  or  who  would  not  be  willing  to  ex- 
change his  conscience  for  that  of  the  felon ;  sup- 
posing, in  the  greatest  of  his  agony,  that  any 
and  every  burden  must  be  lighter  than  his. 

Therefore,  "  Escape  for  thy  life;  neither  stay 
thou  in  all  the  plain,  escape  to  the  mountain,  lest 
thou  be  consumed."    Come,  take  up  this  moment 


AMONG  THE   REDEEMED.  157 

the  endless  song  of  praise  to  divine  grace  !  Enter 
the  lists  of  competitors  for  the  chief  crown 
which  shall  be  cast  at  the  feet  of  your  Re- 
deemer ! 

''  We,  then,  as  workers  together  with  Him,  be- 
seech you  that  ye  receive  not  the  grace  of  God 
in  vain.  For  He  saith,  I  have  heard  tliee  in  an 
accepted  time  and  in  the  day  of  salvation  have 
I  succored  thee ;  behold,  now  is  the  accepted 
time,  behold  now  is  the  day  of  salvation." 


IX. 


TEE    COUNSEL    OF  ELIHU   TO    TEE 
DESPONDENT 

"  Although  thou  sayest  thou  shalt  not  see  him,  yet  judgment  is  before 
him ;  therefore  trust  thou  in  him,"  — Job  35  :  14. 

THERE  is  no  word  which  the  worshippers 
of  God  need  to  have  whispered  to  their 
hearts  more  frequently  than  this :  "  Trust  thou 
in  Him." 

We  are  in  a  world  and  under  a  system  of 
events  wonderfully  adapted  to  try  our  faith. 
We  have  reason  to  think  that  angels  look  with 
astonishment  when  they  see  one  who  is  iii  great 
affliction  trusting  in  God.  Angels  can  trust  in 
Him  without  effort.  Indeed  what  would  become 
of  them  at  times  when  they  see  His  great  judg- 
ments, if  they  could  not?  They  see  more  that 
calls  for  faith  than  we :  for  they  not'  only  wit- 
ness, but  are  called  to  execute  His  dark  designs. 
They  never  start  back  from  fulfilling  His  com- 
(158) 


TO  THE  DESPONDENT.  159 

mands,  saying,  This  is  too  dreadful.  But  let  us 
hear  wliat  they  say:  "And  the  third  augel 
poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  rivers  and  fountains 
of  waters,  and  they  became  blood."  "And  I 
heard  the  angel  of  the  waters  say,  Thou  art 
righteous,  O  Lord,  which  art  and  wast  and  shalt 
be,  because  Thou  hast  judged  thus."  "And  I 
lieard  another  angel  out  of  the  altar  say.  Even 
so,  Lord  God  Almighty,  true  and  righteous  are 
Thy  judgments." 

Seeing  so  many  of  the  terrible  acts  of  the  Al- 
mighty, perhaps  it  is  well  for  them  that  they  are 
not  required  to  walk  by  faith ;  so  that  without 
question  they  look  on  us  under  great  bereave- 
ments in  this  dark  world,  and  say,  "  What 
should  we  do  if  we  had  to  suffer  thus  and  knew 
no  more  than  they  ?  "  So  when  they  see  one  be- 
reft of  a  child,  for  example,  under  circumstances 
peculiarly  trying,  perhaps  following  the  loss  of  a 
companion,  or  of  one  child  after  another,  till  at 
length  the  last  coal  is  quenched,  no  doubt  they 
say,   "Earth  is  indeed  a  spectacle  to  us  angels." 

While  we  wonder  how  angels  endure  such 
revelations  as  God  makes  to  them,  they  wonder 
how  Christians  endure  such  m3^sterious  chastise- 
ments. It  is  easy  for  angels  to  love  God  ;  they 
always  did ;  there  is  nothing  in  His  works  and 
ways  to  baffle  their  trust,  nothing  in  themselves 
to  call   in  question  His  justice:  to  make  them 


160  THE  COUNSEL  OF  ELIHTJ 

doubt  His  goodness.  So  when  tliey  see  us  en- 
during shaip  trials  not  only  with  long-suffering, 
but  joyfull}^  they  do  not  question  the  truth  which 
they  often  hear  from  our  pulpits,  that  there  is 
more  that  is  wonderful  in  the  faith  of  some 
Christians  than  in  the  obedience  of  the  angels. 
Our  faith  also  fills  tliem  with  astonishment 
because  it  is  not  universal  among  men.  They 
see  many  nominal  Christians  who  have  very  lit- 
tle ;  some  have  none  at  all.  I  was  once  called  to 
minister  consolation  to  a  mother  who  had  lost  a 
child  under  trying  circumstances.  She  replied 
thus  to  my  remarks :  "I  cannot  see  why  God 
should  afflict  me  so  ;  my  sister  has  brought  up  a 
large  family  of  children,  nor  lost  one  ;  and  here 
my  only  daughter  who  would  have  been  such  a 
comfort  to  me,  is  snatched  away."  Angels 
took  no  pleasure  in  her  faith  ;  and  now  twenty- 
five  years  from  that  time  she  herself  is  wast- 
ing away,  having  no  hope,  and  without  God 
in  the.  world.  In  contrast,  they  did  take  pleas- 
ure in  a  bereaved  mother  'who  anticipated  all 
which  I  was  ready  to  say  to  her,  by  exclaiming, 
"  Can  you  tell  me  why  this  affliction  malces  me 
love  God  so  ?  "  Said  I,  "  perhaps  you  have 
learned  to  say  with  the  Psalmist,  '  Whom  have 
I  in  heaven  but  thee  !  and  there  is  none  on  earth 
that  I  desire  besides  thee.'  "  —  Consider 

I.    If  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to 


•  TO   THE  DESPONDENT.  161 

PLEASE  God,  we  might  infer  that  faith  is 

EMINENTLY  PLEASING. 

If  faith,  such  as  I  have  mentioned,  makes  an- 
gels wonder  as  they  see  it  in  the  clouds  and 
darkness  under  which  we  suffer,  there  can  be  no 
question  that  God  himself  is  pleased  with  it.  For 
you  have  time  and  again  noticed  in  the  New 
Testament,  that  Christ  was  more  pleased  with 
faith  than  anything  else.  Once  he  said,  "  O 
woman,  great  is  thy  faith,  be  it  unto  thee,  even 
as  thou  wilt !  "  At  another  time,  he  turned  from 
a  suppliant  and  said  to  the  people  :  "  Yerily,  I 
have  not  found  so  great  faith,  no,  not  in  Israel !  " 

There  is  in  Scripture  no  list  of  those  who  dis- 
tinguished themselves  for  zeal,  or  humility,  or 
hope  ;  but  the  eleventh  of  Hebrews  emblazons 
the  names  of  men  and  women  who  through  faith 
did  marvellous  things.  God  made  Abraham  the 
heir  of  the  greatest  blessings  for  his  faith.  Faith 
is  the  crowning  glory  of  the  Christian  character. 
Faith  in  Christ  saves  the  soul.  The  trial  of  it 
is  said  to  be  much  more  precious  than  of  gold 
that  perisheth ;  it  is  to  be  found  unto  praise  and 
honor,  and  glory,  at  the  appearing  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

Such  being  the  distinguishing  glory  of  trust- 
ing in  God  in  this  distant  dark  world,  it  so  ex- 
cites the  wonder  of  angels,  and  commands  the 


162  THE   COUNSEL   OF  ELIHU  * 

approbation  of  God  himself,  we  shall  do  well 
to  make  it  our  study  to  live  a  life  of  faith.  Every 
one  has  abundant  opportunity  to  practise  it. 
Could  the  secrets  of  our  hearts  be  unfolded,  we 
should  find  that  every  one  is  ready  to  confess 
that  he  needs  nothing  so  much  as  ti'ust  in  God. 

II.  A  PRINCIPAL  DESIGN  OF  THE  OlD  TES- 
TAMENT IS  TO  TEACH  US  FAITH. 

We  have  before  us  in  the  book  from  w^hich 
the  text  is  taken,  a  wonderful  illustration  of  our 
subject.  The  oldest  of  all  writings  is  the  book 
of  Job.  It  is  marvellous  to  see  what  the  subject 
of  it  is ;  how  God  began  to  teach  the  children  of 
men.  Wise  men  among  us  would,  perhaps,  have 
prescribed  that  the  oldest  record  in  the  Book  of 
God  should  be  a  plain  statement  of  truths  relat- 
ing to  science,  when  and  how  the  world  was 
made  ;  how  many  worlds  were  created  at  once  ; 
were  they  peopled  ?  the  number,  character,  em- 
ploj^ments  of  their  inhabitants.  Instead  of  these 
things,  the  subject  chosen  is  a  man  reduced  from 
affluance  to  abject  poverty,  loathsome  disease, 
excruciating  pain.  The  devil  is  allowed  to  ex- 
periment with  him  by  bereaving  him,  by  torment- 
ing him,  by  setting  against  him  all  his  friends, 
some  of  them  good  men.  His  wife  conjures  him 
to  abandon  his  confidence  in  the  Almighty:, 
"curse  God  and  die  !  " 


TO  THE  DESPONDENT.  163 

The-  Scripture  says :  "  Ye  have  heard  of  the 
patience  of  Job,  and  have  seen  the  end  of  the 
Lord,  how  that  the  Lord  is  very  pitiful  and  of 
tender  mercy."  We  are  bold  to  say,  that  God 
meant  to  .teach  mankind  by  the  first  writing 
which  He  has  communicated  to  us,  that  the  great 
business  of  man  in  this  world  is  to  trust  God; 
that  He  does  this  by  opening  first  before  the 
eyes  of  men,  not  the  book  of  Proverbs,  not  the 
book  of  Ecclesiastes,  not  the  Psalms,  not  the  story 
of  creation,  but  the  duty  of  implicit  trust  in  God. 
As  an  example.  He  gives  us  a  rich  man,  the 
greatest  of  all  the  men  of  the  East,  stripped  at 
Oiice  of  every  thing,  sitting  down  in  the  ashes, 
scraping  himself  with  a  piece  of  potsherd,  yet 
giving  the  sacred  historian  occasion  to  say,  "  In 
all  this  Job  sinned  not,  nor  charged  God  fool- 
ishly." 

There  came  three  men  to  talk  with  him ;  they 
intended  to  teach  him,  as  we  all  think  that  we 
know  so  well,  perhaps,  how  to  do  when  we  see 
others  in  trouble.  Among  the  wonders  of  in- 
spiration I  know  of  nothing  more  remarkable 
than  this,  (and  it  may  be  accounted  one  of  the 
chief  proofs  of  the  inspiration  of  the  Bible), 
that  while  these  three  friends  of  Job  were 
wholly  mistaken  in  tlieir  judgment  of  him,  and 
said  many  things  which  were  wholly  wrong  as 
applied   to    Job,  so   that  God   was   angry  with 


164  THE  COUNSEL  OF  ELIHU 

them,  3-et  not  one  word  did  they  say  which  in 
its  general  application  is  not  true.  So  that  a 
minister  can  take  a  passage  from  any  part  of  their 
speeches  for  a  text  and  preach  from  it  as  the 
word  of  God. 

The  Homers  and  Miltons  "  pale  their  ineffec- 
tual fires  "  in  comparison  with  this  first  poem, 
this  master-piece  of  wisdom,  ingenuity,  wisdom, 
eloquence,  religion ;  three  men  talking  wrong- 
fully, so  that  they  moved  the  wrath  of  God  against 
them ;  for  He  said  to  Eliphaz,  seemingly  the 
best  of  the -three,  ''  My  wrath  is  kindled  against 
thee  and  against  thy  two  friends ;  for  ye  have 
not  spoken  of  me  the  thing  that  is  right  as  my 
servant  Job  hath ;  "  yet  neither  of  them  saying 
one  word  which  in  itself  and  by  itself,  and  with 
a  right  application,  was  unsuitable  to  be  recorded 
in  the  Bible. 

Let  the  students  of  language,  proficients  in 
logic,  rhetoric,  eloquence,  come  and  see  this 
great  sight,  and  acknowledge  that  the  Book  of 
Job  must  have  been  inspired  to  have  accomp- 
lished this  unparalleled  feat  of  wisdom  ;  and  if 
this  one  book  is  inspired,  why  not  all  the  rest 
from  the  same  hand,  bearing  the  same  seal  of  the 
apostles  and  of  Christ  ? 

Our  text  is  both  an  example  and  illustration 
of  what  I  have  now  said.  No  wonder  that  it 
made  God  angry  to  hear  those  good  but  mistaken 


TO  THE  DESPONDENT.  165 

men  say  to  Job,  "  Acquaint  now  thyself  with 
Him  and  be  at  peace;" — a  man  who  probably 
knew  more  of  God  than  they.  Yet  that  pas- 
sage is  a  truthful,  a  beautiful  word.  So  is  the 
text.  Very  little  did  Job  need  such  an  exhor- 
tation ;  but  we  all  need  it,  and  by  divine  help 
we  will  profit  by  it. 

III.    The  counsel  of  Elihu  in  the  te±t 

IS  PKOFITABLE  TO  A  SINKING  HEAET. 

"Although  thou  sayest  thou  shalt  not  see 
Him."  If  Job  did  not  say  this,  perhaps  we  do  ; 
and  we  are  grateful  for  this  counsel.  Job  said, 
"He  knoweth  the  way  that  I  take ;  when  He 
hath  tried  me  I  shall  come  forth  as  gold."  The 
meaning  of  the  text  is,  "Although  'you  say  you 
will  never  see  Him  appear  for  you,  yet  He  will 
exercise  judgment  when  to  do  so ;  therefore  trust 
thou  in  Him." 

There  are  times,  we  have  all  seen  them,  we 
may  be  seeing  them  now,  when  a  dark  provi- 
dence has  settled  down  like  a  cloud  on  our  pros- 
pect. Something  has  happened  which  is  the  very 
worst  thing  which  it  seems  to  us  God  could 'have 
chosen  wherewith  to  afflict  us.  There  is  no  ex- 
planation; there  is  no  mitigation,  no  cheerful 
outlook ;  all  is  dark,  bewildering ;  the  wisest 
thing  which  our  best  friends  can  do  is  to  keep 
silence  ;  they  are  mistaken  if  they  tell  us  not  to 


166  THE   COUNSEL   OF  ELIHU 

weep  ;  only  He  who  can  touch  the  bier  and  raise 
the  dead  can  properly  say,  "  Weep  not."  "  Je- 
sus wept ; "  it  was  a  relief  to  Him ;  it  is  to  us. 
Nature  finds  comfort  in  cries,  groans,  tears ;  but 
still  we  say,  "  All  is  in  vain;"  and  as  Job  said, 
"  Though  I  speak,  m}^  grief  is  not  assuaged ;  and 
though  I  forbear,  yet  what  am  I  eased  ?  "  We 
say,  *'  It  is  impossible  not  to  weep ;  sluill  tlie  dead 
be  raised  ?  can  the  past  be  recalled ;  can  the  bit- 
terness of  this  affliction  be  soon  taken  away  ? 
Stern,  inexorable  providence  has  done  what  Job 
said  God  had  done  to  him.  '  He  hath  compas- 
sed my  way  with  hewn  stone ; '  not  with  lieaps 
of  stones,  but  each  one  cut,  '  taken  out  of  wind,' 
mortised,  set  up  with  plumb  and  level,  all  de- 
signed, a  perfect  piece  of  work,  built  so  as  ex- 
actly to  confound  me.  There  is  no  use  in  argu- 
ment ;  all  is  hopeless  ;  God  was  my  friend  once  ; 
now  He  has  set  me  up  as  His  mark.  '  The  ar- 
rows of  the  Almighty  are  within  me,  the  poison 
whereof  drinketh  up  my  spirit.'  " 

To  such  afflicted  souls  the  Word  of  God  says, 
"Although  thou  sayest  thou  shalt  not  see  Him, 
yet  judgment  is  before  Him."  You  think  that 
you  will  never  see  His  design  to  accomplish  good 
in  you  and  by  you  in  this  affliction.  It  seems  to 
you  without  plan,  confused,  reckless.  God  seems 
to  have  let  chaos  overspread  you ;  infinite  wis- 
dom does  not  appear  to  have  had  any  thing  to  do 


TO  THE  DESPONDENT.  167 

with  the  events  which  have  befallen  you.  To 
gather  np  the  thread  of  your  broken  history 
hereafter,  seems  to  you  as  impossible  as  it  would 
to  pick  out  your  carriage-track  from  the  multi- 
tude of  tracks  which  fill  the  streets  of  a  city. 
Even  if  it  were  not  so,  we  learn  from  the  inferior 
creatures  that  animal  instinct  is  capable  of  scent- 
ing a  track  even  more  confused.  You  have  seen 
an  animal  that  has  lost  liis  master,  finding  his 
steps  among  ten  thousand  which  have  been  im- 
printed there  during  that  day,  and  finally  tracing 
his  way  home  for  miles  by  that  fine  sense.  How^ 
can  one  who  knows  this  to  be  so,  question  the 
ability  of  Infinite  Wisdom  to  keep  the  remem- 
brance .of  all  his  affairs  distinct  ? 

This  good  man.  Job,  says,  "  Doth  not  He  see 
my  ways  and  count  all  my  steps  ?  "  David  makes 
this  appeal  to  the  all-knowing  God  :  "  Put  thou 
my  tears  in  Tliy  bottle  ;  are  they  not  in  Thy 
book?"  God  keeps  a  record  of  every  tear, 
when,  why  it  was  shed  ;  David  prays  him  to  be 
still  more  observant  of  them  ;  —  "  Put  my  tears 
into  thy  bottle,"  he  says :  catch  every  falling 
drop.  O  the  infinite,  yes,  the  infinite  love  of 
God  for  every  child  of  His  here  appears.  We 
speak  of  God  as  a  father ;  He  does  more ;  He' 
speaks  of  Himself  as  a  mother."  As  one  whom 
his  mother  comforteth,  so  will  I  comfort  you, 
and  ye  shall  be  comforted  in  Jerusalem."    "  Can 


168  THE  COUNSEL   OF  ELIHU 

a  woman  forget?"  says  God  ;  " yea  tbey  may  for- 
get ;  yet  will  I  not  forget  thee."  Judgment  is 
before  him  as  it  is  before  the  tenderest  friend. 
God  never  forgets ;  never  mistakes.  He  keeps 
the  time-table  of  the  comets ;  He  knows  when 
one  planet  is  to  cross  another's  track  ;  He  remem- 
bered Israel  in  Egypt ;  and  in  the  last  two  verses 
of  the  second  chapter  of  Exodus  we  read  these 
remarkable  words :  "  And  God  heard  their 
groaning,  and  God  remembered  his  covenant 
with  Abraham,  with  Isaac,  and  with  Jacob  ;  and 
God  looked  upon  the  children  of  Israel,  and  God 
had  respect  unto  them."  Four  times  in  those 
few  lines  is  that  adoral^le  name  repeated  in  con- 
nection with  His  remembrance  of  His  afflicted 
people.  Judgment  is  before  Him,  whenever  a 
child  of  His  suffers;  the  arrow  that  pierces  us, 
wounds  His  heart  ere  it  reaches  ours. 

IV.    Our  duty  in  daek  houks  is  iieiie 

MADE  PLAIN. 

"  Therefore  trust  in  Him."  This  is  done  by 
special  heartfelt  address  to  God  by  word  of 
mouth.  It  is  not  enough  to  think  a  prayer,  unless 
we  are  speechless  by  reason  of  sickness,  then  our 
thoughts  are  prayers.  •  We  cannot  but  think  that 
when  the  Psahnist  says,  "My  voice  shalt  thou  hear 
in  the  morning,  O  Lord ;  in  the  morning  will  I  di- 


TO  THE  DESPONDENT.  169 

rect  my  prayer  unto  thee  and  will  look  up,"  he 
means  to  be  understood  literally;  that  he  would 
not  as  a  rule  lie  in  bed  and  think  a  prayer  to 
God.  There  is  meaning  in  his  resolution  to  let 
God  hep-r  his  voice.  Speaking  requires  an  effort 
of  mind  which  is  not  made  when  we  lie  still  and 
muse,  unless,  as  I  said  before,  we  are  under  some 
infirmity.  To  rise  and  go  upon  our  knees,  im- 
plies a  serious  determination  to  seek  God,  and 
the  act  of  framing  our  speech,  shows  that  we  are 
in  earnest.  Cotton  Mather  says  of  Rev.  N. 
Rogers  of  Ipswich,  that  every  morning  for  many 
years,  while  in  health,  it  was  his  custom  on  ris- 
ing from  his  bed  immediately  to  fall  upon  his 
knees.  So  that  when  we  are  in  trouble  it  is  a 
good  thing  for  us  to  draw  nigh  to  God  with 
Avords.  "  Take  Avith  you  words  and  turn  unto 
the  Lord  ;  say  unto  him.  Take  away  all  iniquity, 
and  heal  us  graciously ;  so  will  we  render  the 
calves  of  our  lips."  We  do  well  if  we  remem- 
ber this  in  our  approach  to  God. 

When  David  says,  "  Awake  up,  my  glory,"  he 
means,  'my  tongue,  the  glory  of  my  frame.'  An 
effort  to  speak  is  often  a  sure  sign  that  our 
powers  are  summoned  by  us  to  a  serious  effort. 
The  time,  the  place,  the  manner,  the  attitude  of 
our  approach  to  God  are  regarded  by  Him. 
There  may  be  a  serious  deficiency  in  our  habit 
of   approach    to    God ;  a  carelessness,    a   negli- 


170  THE   COUNSEL  OF  ELIHU 

gence,  which  we  would  not  be  guilty  of  in  our 
intercourse  with  one  another.  A  solemn,  delib- 
erate expression  of  our  trust  in  God  is  sure  to  be 
regarded  by  Him.  "  Trust  in  Him  at  all  times ; 
ye  people,  pour  out  your  hearts  before  Him ; 
God  is  a  refuge  for  us."  You  may  not  be  aware 
that  your  address  to  God  has  been  heard  ;  but 
David  says,  "  I  will  direct  my  praj^er  unto  thee 
and  will  look  up,"  as  one  who  shoots  an  arrow 
follows  it  with  his  eye  to  see  how  it  speeds. 
Having  committed  our  prayer  to  God,  declaring 
our  trust  in  Him,  we  must  show  our  sincerity  by 
a  quietness  of  mind  which,  be  it  remembered,  is 
not  inconsistent  with  importunity.  Yet  we  need 
not  suspect  ourselves  of  impatience  if  we  find 
ourselves  saying,  "How  long  wilt  thou  forget 
me,  O'Lord,  forever  ?  "  "  Make  no  tarrying,  O 
my  God." 

But  there  are  some  events  in  which  we  feel  it 
proper  to  abstain  from  specific  requests  in  pray- 
er, as,  in  hopeless,  sickness,  the  recovery  of  aged 
persons  whose  restoration  cannot  be  desired  by 
themselves  or  their  friends.  Again,  there  are 
sorrows  which  neither  earth  nor  time  can  heal. 
In  such  cases,  "  it  is  good  that  a  man  should  both 
hope  and  quietly  wait  for  the  salvation  of  the 
Lord  !  "  Eternity  will-  witness  great  surprises. 
Some  who  never  awaken  any  solicitude,  no  doubt 
will  prove  to  have  no  oil  in  their  vessels  with 
their  lamps  Avheii  the  Bridegroom  comes.. 


TO  The  despondent.  171 

It  has  fallen  to  my  lot  to  meet  with  more  than 
one  case  like  this:  A  maii  has •  suddenly  died 
who  followed  false  doctrine,  giving  no  sign  of 
recantation.  His  young  widow  said,  "His 
friends  of  course  suppose  that  he  failed  to  be 
saved.  If  so,  let  me  perish  with  him."  So  she 
resolutely  embraced  his  erroneous  views,  becom- 
inor  more  zealous  than  he  in  defending  them. 
One  day  I  startled  her  with  this  question  : 
"  What  makes  you  feel  so  sure  that  your  hus- 
band did  not  recant  in  his  last  hours  ?  Perhaps 
he  did,  though  for  two  days  he  could  not  speak 
to  inform  jou.  of  the  change  in  his  views.  Sup- 
pose tliat  when  you  die  you  should  find  that  he 
is  saved  by  accepting  Christ  in  those  last  days, 
and  that  you,  trying  to  follow  his  steps  in  unbe- 
belief,  have  missed  him,  and  he  is  comforted  and 
you  are  not.  What  a  sad  mistake  you  will 
make,  to  have  persisted  in  following  a  mortal  in- 
stead of  listening  to  the  suggestions  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  urging  you  to  Christ.  Believe  the  Gos- 
pel ;  then  you  will  either  find  your  companion  in 
heaven,  or  have  a  satisfactory  reason  given  you 
why  he  is  not  there.  Do  not  conclude  that  your 
husband  is  not  saved  because  you  did  not  hear  him 
make  a  confession  of  faith.  It  might  have  had 
a  disastrous  effect  on  survivors  to  know  that  he, 
after  such  a  life,  was  saved  in  the  last  hour. 
Make  your  own  calling  sure."     It  was  gratifying 


172  THE  COUNSEL  OF  ELIHU 

to  see  her  confess  Christ,  choosing  rather  to  fol- 
low His  plain  kistructions  than  the  bewildering 
light  which  was  leading  her  among  tombstones, 
over  graves. 

It  is  wrong  to  assume  that  we  are  possessed  of 
full  knowledge  concerning  that  which  has  taken 
place  between  the  soul  and  God.  His  ways  are 
not  as  our  ways,  neither  His  thoughts  as  our 
thoughts.  Many  times  He  shuts  up  a  man  and 
there  is  no  opening,  not  a  gleam  of  light ;  there 
is  silence  and  he  hears  a  voice,  "Be  still  and 
know  that  I  am  God."  All  that  one  can  do  at 
such  a  time  is  to  fulfil  the  ordinary  duties  of 
life,  faithfull}^,  patiently,  bearing  the  grievous 
burden.  Some  people  seem  unwilling  to  forgive 
God,  if  He  has  done  thus  and  thus :  but  who 
shall  say  to  Him,  "  What  doest  thou?  " 

We  should  never  abandon  ourselves  to  incon- 
solable grief  in  the  darkest  hours.  God  takes 
pleasure  in  those  who  against  hope,  believe  in 
hope,  taking  part  with  God  by  insisting  that  He 
is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all  that 
we  ask  or  think.  While  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
superior  act  of  faith,  it  cannot  be  questioned 
that  before  Christ  came,  believing  in  God  was 
imputed  to  Abraham  for  righteousness,  and  that 
God  will  justify  many  of  the  heathen  through 
faith,  whose  knowledge  of  God  does  not  reach 
beyond  those  invisible  things  of  Him  which  are 


TO   THE  DESPONDENT.  173 

clearly  seen,  being  understood  from  the  things 
which  are  made.  "  Was  not  Abraham  our  father 
justified  by  works  when  he  had  offered  Isaac,  his 
son,  upon  the  altar  ?  " 

Thunder  never  strikes  ;  it  is  only  lightning 
that  strikes.  At  the  same  time  while  thunder 
never  strikes,  the  lightning  which  has  no  thun- 
der is  only  heat-lightning.  So  repentance  can- 
not save ;  faith  only  saves ;  yet  faith  without 
repentance  is  only  heat-lightning.  Repentance 
has  no  power  to  save ;  yet  it  is  essential  to  faith. 
Thus,  works  have  no  saving  power;  yet  faith  with- 
out works  is  dead.  So  while  faith  in  Jesus  Christ 
is  the  power  of  God  and  the  wisdom -of  God 
unto  salvation,  and  nothing  can  supplant  it, 
Abraham's  offering  of  Isaac  on  the  altar  showed 
a  readiness  to-  accept  Christ;  therefore  it  was 
imputed  to  him  for  righteousness,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten, ''Abraham  believed  God,  iand  it  was  im- 
puted unto  him  for  righteousness."  Therefore 
say,  "  Why  art  thou  cast  down,  O  my  soul,  and 
why  art  thou  disquieted  within  me  ?  Hope  thou 
in  God,  for  I  «hall  yet  praise  Him  who  is  the 
health  of  my  countenance." 

Did  we  but  know  it,  God  is  wooing  those 
whom  He  is  afflicting.  "He  scourgeth  every 
son  whom  He  receiveth."  Therefore  be  of  good 
courage,  desponding  souls.  Submit  yourselves 
under  His  rod.    If  you  are  of  a  melancholy  dis- 


174  THE   COUNSEL   OF  ELTHU 

position,  read  in  the  epistle  of  James.  "  Paul 
and  Peter  require  three  or  four  verses  to  finish 
their  salutatories  before  they  begin  their  doc- 
trine ;  but  James  seems  so  full  of  something 
good  to  tell  us  that  he  cannot  wait  beyond  one 
verse,  biit  bursts  forth  with  these  words  of  cheer 
in  his  second  verse :  "My  brethren,  count  it  all 
joy  when  ye  fall  into  divers  temptations."  If 
you  are  despondent,  seek  out  the  poor,  many  of 
whom  are  rich  in  faith,  and  talk  with  them.  A 
good  man  who  was  .melancholy,  began  in  a 
gloomy  tone  to  say  to  a  colored  woman,  "Does 
it  not  seem  strange  to  you  that  God  should  pass 
by  the  rich  people  who  live  in  these  mansions  and 
come  to  your  hovel  to  make  you  a  Christian  ?  " 
"No,  sir,  it  is  not  strange,"  said  she,  "it  is  just 
like  Him."  The  answer  did  more  to  cure  his 
melancholy  than  did  his  books.  So  Ave  say  to  you 
who  are  cast  down :  "  Wait  on  the  Lord."  "  Be  of 
good  courage,  and  He  shall  strengthen  your 
heart,  all  ye  that  hope  in  the  Lord." 
I  have  asked  3^ou  to  consider 

I.  'If  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please 
God,  we  may  infer  that  faith  is  eminently  pleas- 
ing to  Sim. 

IF.  A  principal  design  of  the  Old  Testament 
is  to  teach  us  faith. 


TO  THE  DESPONDENT.  175 

III.  The  Counsel  of  Elihu  in  iJie  text  is  pro- 
fitable to  a  sinking  heart. 

IV.  Our  duty  in  dark  hours  is   here   made 
plain. 


finally.  eveeything  which  has  been 
said  of  trust  in  god  in  times  of  despon- 
dency, is  eminently  true  of  faith  in  the 
Saviour. 

^  It  is  one  proof  of  His  equality  with  God  that 
Christ  said,  "Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled j 
ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me."  An  im- 
poster  might  aay  this  arrogantly  ;  but  none  save 
a  divine  being  could  properly  speak  of  himself 
in  comparison  with  God.  Despondency  is  never 
so*  much  out  of  place  as  in  coming  to  Christ. 
There  it  is  sinful.  God  classes  the  fearful  and 
unbelieving  with  all  liars  ;  and  we  know  where 
they  are  to  have  their  part.  Afraid  to  trust 
yourself  in  those  hands  which  were  nailed  to  the 
cross  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world  !  The  hands 
of  Him  who  said,  "All  power  is  given  unto  Me 
in  heaven  and  on  earth  ?  "  "  All  that  the  Father 
hath  given  Me  shall  come  to  Me^  and  him  that 
Cometh  to  Me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out  ? " 
if    confidence,   if   boldness,   is   proper    at   any 


176  THE  COUNSEL  OF  ELIHU 

time,  and  in  any,  it  is  eminently  so  in  a  guilty 
creature  coming  to  the  Saviour  of  sinners.  Let 
a  trembling  soul  hear  these  words:  "Let  us 
therefore  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace 
that  we  may  obtain  mercy."  Paul  says  of  Christ, 
"  In  whom  we  have  boldness  and  access  with  con- 
fidence by  the  faith  of  Him."  To  the  Hebrews 
who  saw  the  High  Priest  going  alone  once  a  year 
into  the  Holy  of  holies,  he  says,  "  Having  there- 
fore, brethren,  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest 
by  the  blood  of  Jesus — let  us  draw  near." 
John  uses  this  astonishing  expression  :  "Herein 
is  our  love  made  perfect,  that  we  may  have  bold- 
ness in  the  day  of  judgment." 

Come  then,  one  and  all,  and  oiriy  believe.  Be- 
lieve and  you  shall  be  established.  "  He  that 
believeth  shall  be  saved."  Begin  with  believing 
in  Jesus  Christ,  the  author  and  finisher  of  our 
faith.  In  every  event  of  life,  in  trials,  sorrows, 
losses,  disappointments,  remember  this : 

"  With  patience,  then,  the  course  of  duty  run  : 
"  God  never  does,  nor  suffers  to  be  done, 
."  But  thou  would 'st  do  thyself  could 'st  thou  but  see 
"  The  end  of  all  events  as  well  as  He." 

"  Blessed  are  they  that  have  not  seen  and  yet 
have  believed."     Happy  is  he  here  and  hereafter, 


TO  THE  DESPONDENT.     '  177 

who  can  sa}^  not  as  an  intellectual,  philosophical 
truth,  but  with  the  heart,  "  Lord,  I  know  that 
Thy  judgments  are  right."  Verily  it  will  be  said 
of  such  as  of  Israel,  "He  led  them  forth  by 
,the  EIGHT  way." 


[IJFIVBRSITI 


X. 

THO  UART  THE  a  UIDE  OF  MY  YO  UTH, 

"  Wilt  thou  not  from  this  time  cry  unto  me,   My  father,  thou  art  the 
guide  of  my  youth  ? " — Jeremiah  3  :  4. 

THERE  is  nothing  more  wonderful  than 
prayer.  One  would  think  that  every  child 
might  agree  to  this.  If  asked  to  prove  it,  he 
would  need  only  to  point  to  the  text.  God 
invites  the  youngest  to  pray  to  Him.  There  can 
be  nothing  more  wonderful  than  this.  It  is 
indeed  astonishing  that  God  should  listen  to 
prayer;  much  more,  that  He  should  invite  us  to 
pray  ;  but  a  child  may  well  say,  that  for  God  to 
wonder  at  him  for  not  praying,  thus  apparently 
deeming  a  child's  prayer  of  sufficient  importance 
to  be  inquired  into  if  neglected,  almost  exceeds 
belief.  One  who  admits  this  truth,  that  God 
really  pays  attention  to  prayer,  not  only  invit- 
ing but  exhorting  to  it,  will  be  prepared  to  ap- 
preciate the  remark  of  Daniel  Webster  to  a 
kinsman  who  spent  a  night  at  his  house  at  Marsh- 
(178) 


THOU  AKT  THE  GUIDE  OF  MY  YOUTH.      179 

field,  and  related  the  conversatioa  to  me.  He 
said  "  that  of  all  the  things  which  ever  inter- 
ested his  mind  this  was  chief:  The  personal  re- 
lation of  a  soul  to  God."  He  explained,  saying, 
that  he  perceived  in  the  Scriptures  that  God  re- 
cognized every  man  as  accountable  to  Him  for  his 
conduct,  even  to  his  thoughts  and  words  ;  that 
He  took  a  personal  interest  in  all  that  transpired 
within  him,  listening  to  his  words  of  supplica- 
tion, understanding  his  thoughts  afar  off,  making 
him  feel  that  he  and  every  one  has  an  individual 
relation  to  God  which  does  not  seem  to  be  de- 
pendant on  rank  and  endowments ;  but  every 
soul  is  the  liandiwork  of  God.  This  appeared 
to  Mr.  Webster  the  chief  subject  of  interest 
among  the  things  which  had  ever  engaged  his 
thoughts. 

God  may  be  said  to  solicit  our  prayers.  The 
Old  Testament  seems  to  instruct  us  how  men 
formerly  walked  by  sight ;  the  New  Testament 
teaches  us  that  now  men  are  to  walk  by  faith. 
Visions,  voices,  dreams,  messages  from  God  by 
His  servants  the  prophets,  are  now  withdrawn. 
But  God  has  not  changed  ;  He  is  educating  us 
to  trust  in  Him,  giving  us  His  written  Word  in- 
stead of  signs  and  wonders.  It  must  have  been 
of  thrilling  interest,  when  messages,  instructions, 
promises  passed  from  heaven  to  earth,  some  of 
them  direct  answers  to  prayer  ;  and  not  to  a  man 


180     THOU  ART  THE  GUIDE  OF  MY  YOUTH. 

only,  but  even  to  young  persons.     George  Her- 
bert says : 

"  Sweet  were  the  days  when  Thou  didst  lodge  with  Lot, 
Struggle  with  Jacob,  sit  with  Gideon, 
Advise  with  Abraham,  when  Thy  power  could  not 
Encounter  Moses'  strong  complaint  and  moan." 

We  cannot  wonder  if  it  should  seem  to  >any 
tliat  the  greatness  of  God  consists  in  His  conde- 
scension ;  certainly  if  to  them  nothing  is  more  sur- 
prising in  the  Most  High  than  His  notice  of  inferior 
things.  God  himself  directs  our  attention  to  this. 
"  For  thus  saith  the  High  and  Lofty  One  that 
inhabiteth  eternity,""  (surely  such  a  Being  cannot 
intend  to  speak  to  me,)  "  whose  name  is  Holy  ;" 
(then,  of  course  there  can  be  no  hope  that  he 
can  have  regard  for  sinners;)  •  "  I  dwell  in  the 
high  and  holy  place  ;"  (and  what  more  could  be 
said  to  make  us  feel  that  He  is  unapproachable  ; 
but  hear  the  words  which  follow,)  "  with  him 
also  that  is  of  a  contrite  and  humble  spirit,  to 
revive  the  spirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  revive  the 
heart  of  the  contrite  ones." 

Such  being  the  disposition  of  the  Most  High, 
we  cannot  doubt  that  He  loves  the  child  who 
loves  Him.  As  David  told  Solomon,  his  son, 
"  If  thou  seek  Him  He  will  be  found  of  thee.'' 
We  may  conclude  that  the  younger  a  child  is,  the 


THOU  ART  THE  GUIDE  OF  MY  YOUTH.   181 

* 

more  disposed  God  is  to  take  notice  of  him.  If 
we  were  called  to  say  what  attracts  the  special 
notice  of  Gt)d,  we  should  reply,  a  young  person 
praying.  The  younger  you  are  the  more  notice- 
able are  you  to  God.  Therefore,  we  may  say 
that  young  people  should  be  considerate  in  their 
prayers,  think  seriously  of  what  they  say,  re- 
membering that  the  Most  High  God  of  heaven 
and  earth  hears  every  word,  knows  the  thoughts 
of  the  heart. 

No  one  may  say  with  more  assurance  than  a 
child,  "The  Lord  thinketh  upon  me."  God 
says,  "  When  Israel  was  a  child  then  I  loved  him 
and  called  my  son  out  of  Egypt."  And  in 
the  text  He  says  to  the  nation  of  Israel,  "  Wilt 
thou  not  from  this  time  cry  unto  me.  My  Fatlier, 
Thou  art  the  guide  of  my  youth  ?  "  From  which 
we  infer  that  God  is  in  a  peculiar  manner  inter- 
ested in  youth ;  whether  a  nation  or  individual 
is  young,  the  period  of  youth  is  in  an  espe- 
cial manner  interesting  to  God  ;  He  in  the  text 
invites  a'nation  to  think  of  this,  to  love  him  as 
having  been  their  guide  when  they  were  help- 
less as  a  people.  We  are  warranted  in  apply- 
ing these  words  to  every  young  person  as  an  in- 
vitation from  God  to  choose  Him  to  be  the  guide 
of  his  youth. 

I  will  show  you  why  we  may  suppose  that 
God  feels  this  peculiar  interest  in  young  per- 
sons. 


182      THOU  ART  THE  GUIDE  OF  MY  YOUTH. 

I.  God  sees  that  YouTit  is  the  form- 
ing PERIOD  OF  OUR    BEING. 

His  eye  surveys  eternity,  and  along  its  meas- 
ureless paths  He  sees  your  spirit  capable  of  joy 
or  woe.  He  who  says,  "  I  know  all  the  fowls 
of  the  mountains,  and  the  wild  beasts  of  the 
field  are  mine,"  of  course  has  a  kind  regard  for 
you,  wlio,  the  Saviour  says,  "  are  of  more  value 
than  many  sparrows."  "  Your  heavenly  Father 
feedeth  them  ;  are  ye  not  much  better  than  the 
fowls?"  God  says  of  Himself:  "  Of  my  years 
there  is  no  end." 

We  may,  each  of  us  who  love  Him,  lie  in  the 
dust  ])efore  Him  and  joyfully  saj^.  Of  my  years 
there  is  no  end.  God  says,  "For  I  lift  up  my 
hand  to  heaven  and  say,  I  live  forever."  We 
may  lay  our  hand  upon  our  mouth  and  our  mouth 
in  the  dust  and  say,  I  live  forever.  We  know 
that  this  is  as  true  as  the  words  of  God,  when 
He  says  the  same  of  Himself.  We  cannot  but 
believe  that  God  feels  an  unutterable  interest  in 
every  one  who  is  to  inhabit  a  coming  eternity. 
He  looks  upon  every  one  destined  to  such  an  ex- 
istence with  peculiar  interest  in  the  opening  years 
of  life,  for  He  knows  that  the  first  few  years  of 
that  life  determine  in  a  great  degi'ee  what  we 
shall  be. 

We  who  have  lived  to  manhood,  look  back  to 


THOU  ART  THE  GUIDE  OF  MY  YOUTH.      183 

tlie  time  when  'we  were  at  the  age  of  some  of 
you ;  we  could  at  tliat  age  as  well  as  later,  have 
yielded  to  the  invitation  of  God ;  would  that  we 
had  done  so ;  we  should  have  been  spared  bit- 
ter sorrows,  unavailing  tears.  We  did  not  be- 
lieve then,  as  we  now  see  it  to  be  true,  that  we 
were  in  the  most  important  period  of  our  being  ; 
forming  habits,  committing  sins,  indulging  tem- 
pers, cherishing  dispositions,  which  years  have 
been  spent  in  correcting,  if  indeed  we  have  up 
to  the  present  time  succeeded  in  conquering 
them.  We  should  have  been  kept  from  displeas- 
ing God,  awakening  His  lament  over  us :  "  O 
that  they  were  wise,  that  they  understood  this, 
that  they  would  consider  their  latter  end." 
We  hope  now  through  infinite  grace  to  stand 
accepted  before  God  in  Christ  Jesus.  But  we 
say,  "  Would  that  we  had  never  sinned  against 
Thee ;  that  we  had  barkened  to  Thy  voice  ;  that 
our  first  3'ears  had  been  spent  in  obedience  to 
Thy  commands ;  that  we  had,  like  the  child  Je- 
sus when  twelve  years  old,  been  "  about  our  Fa- 
ther's business,"  which  would  have  been  keep- 
ing His  commandments,  loving  Him  and  loving 
others,  —  His  two  great  precepts.  Then  we 
should  have  been  spared  regrets  which  forever 
will  live  in  our  memories,  and  in  the  memories 
of  tliose  who  were  witnesses  of  our  sins. 

In  heaven  we  shall  esteem  those  of  our  race 


184      THOU  ART  THE  GUIDE  OF  MY  YOUTH. 

as  greatly  to  be  honored,  who  began  in  early 
3^outh  to  love  God,  instead  of  spending  their 
first  years  in  sinful  ways.  Perhaps  we  would 
willingly  return  to  earth  and  renew  our  proba- 
tion, to  put  our  promise  to  the  test  of  instantly 
obeying  the  commands  of  God ;  but  in  vain 
should  we  desire  another  probation;  the  good 
and  the  .wicked  will  have  lived  their  allotted 
time  on  earth,  and  it  cannot  be  repeated;  if  ut- 
terly wasted  it  will  be  the  subject  of  never  end- 
ing sorrow ;  if  partly  misimproved  and  we  are 
saved,  though  we  have  spent  years  in  disobedi- 
ence, we  shall  remember  the  words  of  God  which 
we  learned  in  youth:  "O  that  they  were  wise, 
that  they  understood  this,  that  they  would  con-, 
sider  their  latter  end." 

God  foreseeing  this,  calls  upon  us  to  be  wise 
betimes.  He  cries  to  us,  "  Wilt  thou  not' from 
this  time  cry  unto  me.  My  Father,  Thou  art  the 
guide  of  my  youth  ?  " 

J  I.    Another  reason  why    God    makes 

THIS  APPEAL  TO  US  IS,  He  REJOICES  IN  A 
YOUNG    child's   LOVE. 

We  iione  of  us  set  any  value  on  our  love  to 
God ;  especially  it  is  difficult  to  persuade  chil- 
dren that  it  is  a  precious  thing  to  God  to  be 
loved  by  them.     Yet  we  are  told  that  God  re- 


THOU  AET  THE  GUIDE  OF  MY  YOUTH.   185 

joiced  in  His  works,  He  is  pleased  with  th«  objects 
of  His  creative  wisdom  ;  the  wonders  of  the  uni- 
verse, stupendous  as  they  are,  make  us  ready  to 
adore  Him  who  gave  them  being.  Tlie  colors 
which  He  has  painted  on  the  miner-als,  the  vege- 
table kingdom,  the  waters,  the  sky  ;  the  curious 
things  which  abound  every  where  in  the  works 
of  His  hands ;  the  notes  of  music  which  greet 
•us  on  all  sides,  do  not  fail  to  excite  in  us  the  be- 
lief that  the  Most  High  takes  pleasure  in  these 
proofs  of  His  divine  wisdom.  Many  a  young  per- 
son has  felt  reproved  for  needlessly  taking  the 
life  of  a  harmless  creeping  thing,  by  thinking, 
"  I  have  destroyed  that  which  it  is  beyond  the 
skill  of  men  and  angels  to  restore.  God  alone 
gave  the  life  of  this  creature  which  I  have  now 
destroyed !  "  That  which  could  excite  this  just 
reflection  in  us  is  not  to  be  compared  with  the 
interest  which  a  human  soul  excites  in  God. 
Though,  we  are  chief  among  the  works  of 
God,  yet  our  foundation  is  the  dust  and  we 
perish  before  the  moth,  and  in  the  sight  of  God 
we  are  less  than  nothing,  and  vanity,  yet  we 
see  plainly  in  the  Scriptures  that  God  is  pleased 
to  set  a  value  on  human  affection  above  all 
things.  As  we  read  in  the  Old  Testament,  we 
cannot  but  notice  that  nothing  occupies  the 
thoughts  of  God  so  much  as  the  feelings  of  men 
toward  Him.     You  may  have  noticed  that  the 


186      THOU  AKT  THE  GUIDE  OF  MY  YOUTH. 

thing  which  is  always  mentioned  first  in  the 
Books  of  the  Kings  and  Chronicles  is,  whether 
each  of  those  kings  did  right  or  did  evil  in  the 
sight  of  the  Lord  ;  and  according  as  they  did 
either,  they  had  the  blessing  of  the  Almighty, 
or  they  incurred  His  displeasure. 

We  are  to  infer  that  the  pleasure  which  it  ex- 
cites in  the  readers  of  the  Bible  who  notice  the 
commendable  conduct  of  the  young  persons  who 
are  brought  to  view  in  Scripture,  is  but  an  echo 
of  that  which  is  called  the  yoice  of  God  in  the 
soul.  Great  as  His  works  are,  none  of  them  are 
capable  of  the  emotion  of  love  to  God.  The  planet- 
ary world  cannot  feel  like  a  child  when  it  says, 
"  Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven."  The  poet 
represents  them  singing  as  they  shine,  "  The 
hand  that  made  us  is  divine ;  "  but  none  of 
them  framed  a  prayer,  nor  conceived  of  an  utter- 
ance such  as  breathes  from  the  Psalms:  "I  will 
love  thee,  O  Lord  my  strength."  There  are,  it 
may  be,  many  kinds  of  voices  in  the  world, 
and  none  of  them  is  without  signification ; 
but  it  is  only  a  devout  heart  which  interprets 
their  motions  and  brightness  to  represent 
its  own  love  to  God.  We  do  not  err  if  we 
suppose  our  own  feelings  on  witnessing  a  child's 
love  to  its  parents,  to  be  a  transcript  of  the  feel- 
ings of  God  towai-d  a  child  who  loves  Him. 
"  Take  heed  that  ye  despise  not  one  of  these  lit- 


TgOU  ART  THE  GUIDE  OF  MY  YOUTH.      187 

tie  ones ;  for  I  say  unto  you,"  the  Saviour  tells 
us,  (for  so  we  interpret  His  words),  "  angels  ap- 
pointed to  guard  them  are  angels  of  my  presence, 
who  do  always  behold  the  face  of  my  father 
which  is  in  heaven."  We  are  prepared  to  be- 
lieve that  God  loves  the  affection  of  a  child  if 
we  fully  receive  the  Saviour's  testimony  as  to 
the  love  which  is  felt  for  them  by  the  Most 
High  God. 

If  God  loves  the  young  with  a  tender  compas- 
sion, and  merely  for  their  being  young,  I  ob- 
serve 

in.    He  honoks  the  young  peeson  who 

RENOUNCES  SaTAN  AND  THE  WICKED,  FOR 

Him. 

Probably  Satan  is  never  more  ashamed  than 
when  defeated  by  a  child.  Young  persons  are 
right  in  believing  that  the  wicked  one  tempts 
them  ;  they  allege  this  when  they  are  persuaded 
that  there  is  something  preternatural  in  certain 
violent  impulses  which  they  are  conscious  of,  cer- 
tain temptations  which  they  feel  persuaded  could 
not  have  originated  from  themselves  ;  and  they 
insist  on  this  when  they  are  in  a  mood  which  is 
far  from  a  self-justifying  spirit. 

The  apostle  John  speaks  to  the  young  as  par- 
ticularly liable  to  Satan's  devices :  "  I  write  un- 
to you,  young  men,  because   ye  have  overcome 


188     THOU  AET  THE  GUIDE  OF  MY  YOUTH. 

the  wicked  one."  Satan  has  great  designs  on  the 
young.  He  would  do  more  to  succeed  with  the 
young,  than  with  those  who  are  confirmed  in  sin 
by  evil  habits  ;  for  such  persons  need  less  solici- 
tude on  his  part  to  accomplish  their  ruin.  It  is 
affecting  to  notice  that  in  addressing  fathers, 
young  men,  and  children,  the  apostle  John  speaks 
first  to  children ;  and  more  especially  it  is  inter- 
esting to  observe  that  which  he  says  to  them : 
"  I  write  unto  you,  little  children,  because  your 
sins  are  forgiven  jon  for  His  name's  sake." 

The  sins  of  childhood  need  the  atonement  as 
really  as  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  It  seems 
to  have  been  a  great  pleasure  of  the  beloved 
disciple,  who,  at  the  time  of  writing  this  was  in 
extreme  old  age,  to  assure  these  pious  children 
that  the  great  propitiation  reached  even  to  them. 
One  other  source  of  joy  to  him  in  connection 
with  them  he  adds  in  the  verse  following :  "  I 
write  unto  you,  little  children,  because  ye  have 
known  the  Father."  He  in  these  words  gives 
us  an  assurance  of  the  love  of  God  to  children 
who  love  Him  ;  for  if  they  love  Him,  it  is  be- 
cause He  first  loved  them.  We  may  feel  confi- 
dent that  it  excites  the  love  of  God  and  of  holy 
beings  to  see  the  young  resist  temptation  ;  and 
here  we  repeat  a  remark  just  now  made,  that  Sa- 
tan is  never  filled  Avith  shame  in  a  measure  so 
marked,  as  when  that  Goliath  is  humbled  by  the 
sling  and  stone  of  a  cliild. 


THOU  AET  THE  GUIDE  OF  MY  YOUTH.      189 

We  imagine  the  heavenly  host,  angels  and 
saints,  looking  on  with  delight  when  a  young 
person  is  steadfastly  resisting  his  temptations, 
saying  to  him  as  the  man  Christ  Jesus  did  when 
tempted  of  the  devil :  "  Get  thee  behind  me,  Sa- 
tan ;"  nor  do  the  evil  spirits  probably  feel  more 
humbled  than  when  they  see  the  prince  of  hell 
overcome  by  a  child.  Perhaps  it  seems  a  little 
thing  to  a  young  child,  tempted  to  do  wrong  to 
say,  "  How  shall  I  do  this  great  wickedness  and 
sin  against  God  ?  "  Yet  for  saying  this  young 
Joseph  in  Egypt  became  "  the  shepherd  and  the 
stone  of  Israel ;  "  he  saved  his  father  and  breth- 
ren in  famine,  thus  laying  the  corner  stone  of  the 
nation  of  Israel.  Saying  this  when  tempted  of 
the  devil,  as  Joseph  did,  a  young  person  may 
have  it  recorded  of  him  on  high,  "  then  the  devil 
leaveth  him,  and  behold  angels  came  and  minis- 
tered unto  him." 

Probably  Satan  dreads  the  derision  of  angels 
as  they  see  him  skulking  away  from  a  little  child 
Avho  has  resisted  him,  more  than  to  meet  Michael 
and  his  battalions  in  array  against  him.  What 
means  yonder  shout  ?  A  child  has  refused  to  do 
wickedly  when  tempted  by  the  devil  ;  the  devil 
retreats  from  him  ashamed  ;  the  angels  of  God 
look  on,  and  as  they  see  their  enemy  and  ours 
hieing  away  defeated  by  a  young  person,  their 
exultation,  perhaps,  mortifies  the  hosts   of  hell 


190      THOU  AET  THE  GUIDE  OF  MY  YOUTH. 

• 

more  than  their  shouts  of  conquest  w.hen  he  and 
they  are  defeated  by  the  archangel  and  his 
cherubs.  So  the  evangelist  John  tells  us,  '^  I 
write  unto  you,  young  men,  because  ye  have 
overcome  the  wicked  one."  It  is  more  to  have  the 
apostle  who  "  saw  the  Apocalypse,"  write  those 
few  words  to  you  than  to  have  an  emperor  write 
your  name  in  his  legion  of  honor.  For  him  to 
write  it  twice  in  two  successive  verses  to  young 
people,  "  I  write  unto  you,  young  men,  because 
ye  have  overcome  the  wicked  one,"  is  more  to 
be  desired  than  any  earthly  distinction.  Such  a 
crown  fades;  but  to  overcome  the  wicked  one, 
is  to  have  that  young  person's  name  emblazoned 
to  the  everlasting  shame  of  wicked  angels  and 
wicked  men. 

The  God  of  lieaven  is  standing  here  making 
direct  appeal  to  you  in  these  affectionate  words : 
"  Wilt  thou  not  from  this  time  cry  unto  me,  My 
Father,  Thou  art  the  guide  of  my  youth  ?  "  He 
has  His  eye  on  one  and  another  young  person 
who  has  occasion  to  say,  "  When  my  father  and 
my  mother  forsake  me,  then  the  Lord  will  take 
me  up."  God  is  interested  in  such,  for  "  A 
father  of  the  fatherless  and  a  judge  of  the  widow 
is  the  Lord  in  His  holy  liabitation  ;  "  by  which  we 
infer  that  in  heaven  where  many  who  dwell  with 
Him  have  left  tlieir  wives  and  children  mourning 


THOU  ART  THE  GUIDE  OF  MY  YOUTH.      191 

for  them,  God  is  known  in  a  pe3uliar  manner  the 
lather  and  the  judge  of  the  bereaved  ones. 
Therefore,  it  is  alwaj^s  peculiarly  iiiteresting  to 
preach  to  those  who  have  God  for  their  God  in 
a  special  sense.  To  them  we  may  suppose  tliat 
God  intends  the  words  of  the  text  to  be  peculi- 
arly addressed. 

I  will  take  it  for  gi-anted  that  each  one  who 
hears  this  kind  appeal  from  God  will,  in  retire- 
ment, kneel  and  make  response  to  it.  Your  an- 
swer may  decide  the  course  of  your  whole  future 
life.  God  may  connect  blessings  with  your  an- 
swer, for  He  has  never  said  to  the  seed  of  Jacob, 
"Seek  ye  my  face  in  vain."  The  heart  of  one 
and  another  will  happily  prompt  them  to  say, 
"  When  tliou  saidst.  Seek  ye  my  face,  my  heart 
said  unto  Thee,  Thy  face.  Lord,  will  I  seek."  If 
so,  there  will  be  joy  in  heaven,  because  young 
persons  whom  I  here  address,  are  to  make  a  cove- 
nant with  God. 

A  young  man  slept  in  a  field.  He  took  of  the 
stones  of  the  place  and  set  them  up  for  a  pillow. 
No  one  would  have  anticipated  for  him  such  an 
experience  as  there  befel  him,  for  he  was  obliged 
to  take  that  journey  in  flight  from  his  brother 
whom  he  had  defrauded.  But  the  angels  of  God 
had  appeared  to  him  ascending  and  descending 
upon  a  stairway  reaching  from  heaven  to  earth, 
and  God  stood  above  it  and  made  covenant  pro^ 


192   THOU  ART  THE  GUIDE  OF  MY  YOUTH. 

mises  to  him  and  to  his  posterity  which  extend 
to  the  present  day.  This  same  God  speaks  now 
to  every  one  on  the  journey  of  life,  offering  to 
be  the  guide  of  his  youth. 

Methinks  I  hear  some  say,  We  would  like  to 
have  this  God  for  our  guide  !  Blessed  emotion  ! 
Cherish  it,  for  it  is  a  whisper  of  the  divine 
Spirit.  Use  the  means  by  which  the  spark  of 
holy  desire  shall  kindle  to  a  flame.  Seriously 
consider  that  declaration  of  Jesus  Christ:  "No 
man  cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  me."  He 
who  said  this  is  He  that  came  into  the  world  to 
save  sinners.  He  saves  them  by  His  death  en- 
dured on  the  cross  as  an  atonement  for  the  sins 
of  the  world.  This  death  was  endured  for  us 
as  individuals,  and  must  be  applied  to  yon  as  an 
atonement  for  your  sins.  Believing  on  Christ  is 
the  way  by  which  you  can  be  at  peace  with  God, 
and  there  is  none  other  way  under  heaven  given 
among  men  whereby  we  must  be  saved.  God 
will  not  be  the  guide  of  one  who  has  not  made 
application  to  this  Saviour,  with  faith  in  Him  ; 
but  him  that  cometh  unto  Him,  "  He  will  in  no 
wise  cast  out."  Put  yourself  as  a  condemned 
sinner  in  His  hands,  trusting  in  His  sufferings 
and  death  for  you.  Then  a  covenant-keeping 
God;  —  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  will  be 
your  Guide.  This  Guide  will  not  only  take  you 
safe  home,  but  will  keep  3^ou  and  bless  you  by 


THOU  ART  THE  GUIDE  OF  MY  YOUTH.      193 

the  way.  You  will  feel  constrained  to  talk  with 
Him  ;  you  will  read  His  Word ;  you  will  find  it 
your  constant  support  and  joy.  Your  exulting 
song  will  be, 

"  Wherever  He  may  guide  me 
No  want  shall  turn  me  back ; 
My  Shepherd  is  beside  me, 
And  nothing  can  I  lack. 

"  His  wisdom  ever  waketh. 

His  sight  is  never  dim  ; 
He  knows  the  way  He  taketh, 

And  I  will  walk  with  Him." 

Thus  commit  yourself  to  the  Saviour  who  has 
been  knocking  at  the  door  of  your  heart,  and 
God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy 
Ghost,  will  be  your  Guide  and  Portion  forever. 


XL 


THE   DOQTBmE    OF    QERIZIM  AND 
EBAL. 

"Are  they  not  on  the  other  side  Jordan,  by  the  way  where  the  sun  goetb 
down?" — Deuteronomy  xi :  30. 

When  Israel  was  about  to  cross  the  Jordan, 
God  commanded  Moses  to  set  apart  two 
mountains  in  Moab  soon  to  be  in  the  possession 
of  Israel,  to  be  symbolical  places,  proclaiming 
from  the  first  entrance  of  the  nation  into  the 
promised  land,  by  an  observance  to  be  estab- 
lished upon  them,  a  doctrine  of  which  their  future 
history  would  be  an  emphatic  illustration. 

The  views  of  prophets  from  age  to  age  re- 
peated that  doctrine.  Isaiah,  a  prophet  of  kingly 
origin,  uttered  it  five  hundred  years  from  the 
time  of  Moses,  when  he  said,  "  Say  ye  to  the 
righteous  it  shall  be  well  with  him,  for  he  shall 
eat  the  fruit  of  his  doings.  Woe  unto  the 
wicked,  it  shall  be  ill  with  him,  for  the  reward 
of  his  hands  shall  be  given  him."  Even  to  the 
(194) 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  GERIRIM  AND  EBAL.    195 

time  of  Hosea,  not  many  years  before  the  carry- 
ing away  captive  into  Babylon,  the  doctrine  was 
declared  by  that  prophet  to  be  destined  still  to 
continue.  For  he  says,  "  Tlien  shall  ye  return 
and  discern  between  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked :  between  him  that  serveth  God  and  him 
that  serveth  Him  not."  That  it  was  to  be  per- 
petuated to  the  end  of  time,  is  manifest  in  the 
last  chapter  of  the  Book  of  Revelation,  at  its 
close.  Therefore  the  appointment  of  those  two 
mountains,  Gerizim  and  Ebal,  before  the  children 
of  Israel  were  settled  in  Canaan,  to  be  as  it  were 
oracular  places  from  which  this  doctrine  alone 
should  be   statedly   proclaimed,   is   impressive. 

Moses  was  directed  before  the  people  had  en- 
tered the  promised  land,  to  put  the  blessing  on 
mount  Gerizim,  and  the  curse  on  mount  Ebal,  six 
of  the  tribes  to  stand  over  against  the  one  and 
six  over  against  the  other;  between  the  two, 
several  hundred  thousand  people  would  assem- 
ble. With  loud  voices  six  of  the  Levites  would 
read,  or  repeat  from  the  lips  of  the  leader  of  the 
nation,  the  blessings  from  Gerizim  and  the 
curses  from  Ebal. 

When  assemblies  were  held  in  the  open  air, 
the  sense  of  the  hearing  was  more  acute  than 
now,  as  we  also  know  that  memory  was  more  re- 
tentive before  printing  was  discovered,  when  the 
bards  used  to  recite  their  poems  and  historians 


196    THE  DOCTRINE  OF  GEKIZLM  AND  EBAL. 

their  histories  to  great  assemblies,  showing  a  fa- 
cility both  on  the  part  of  the  speakers  and  of  the 
audiences,  respectively,  of  uttering  from  memory 
and  retaining  long  discourses.  It  may  not  be 
unsuitable  to  remind  ourselves  as  a  help  to  faith 
with  regard  to  certain  representations  in  the 
Scriptures,  what  power  of  voice  is  acquired  by 
venders  of  articles  in  streets,  also  by  command- 
ers, by  navigators,  which  gives  us  some  idea  of 
the  distinctness  as  well  as  strength  of  those 
voices  resounding  through  the  plain ;  blessings 
from  Gerizim  and  curses  from  Ebal,  heard  by 
many  thousands  at  once.  This  was  the  earliest 
form  of  preaching,  under  the  impression  of  which 
the  tribes  kept  up  the  memory  of  their  duties  to 
their  Maker,  enforced  by  the  reliearsal  of  bles- 
sings and  curses  received  by  dictation  from  God. 
The  Bible,  written  book  after  book  in  the  ages 
following  the  settlement  of  Israel  in  Canaan,  is 
a  repetition  of  the  feature  in  the  government  of 
God  which  seems  to  have  been  hung  over  the 
doorway  into  Canaan.  From  the  Red  Sea  into 
the  Promised  Land  through  the  times  of  the 
Judges  and  of  the  Kings  till  the  Captivity,  and 
through  the  Captivity  to  the  coming  of  Christ's 
blessings  and  curses,  are  continually  announced 
with  the  same  distinctness  ;  though  if  either  the 
blessings  or  the  cursings  can  be  said  to  liave  the 
greater  prominence,  one  thing  inclines  us  to  say, 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  GERIZIM  AND  EBAL.   197 

that  the  ciirses  have  the  predominence.  For  it  is 
to  be  observed  that  the  curses  engraven  on  the 
altar  are  rehearsed,  while  the  blessings  are  not 
given. 

The  New  Testament  continues  the  same  strain 
of  blessing  and  cursing ;  if  heaven  is  promised, 
hell  is  with  equal  distinctness  declared  to  be  the 
portion  of  the  unregenerate  ;  everlasting  life  and 
everlasting  damnation  are  the  two  distinguish- 
ing phrases  which  set  forth  the  destiny  of  the 
righteous  and  the  wicked.  If  there  be  one 
sacred  writer  who  is  peculiarl}^  emphatic  in  his 
distinctions  between  the  two  classes  of  mankind, 
or  singular  in  his  descriptions  of  the  respective 
allotments  which  are  to  fall  to  either  class,  it  is 
the  beloved  disciple  who  writes  the  Book  which 
closes  the  Bible.  Peter,  Jude  and  John  seem  to 
be  charged  with  special  electric  force  in  setting 
forth  the  doom  of  the  wicked,  as  well  as  with 
special  energy  in  depicting  the  rewards  of  the 
righteous.  To  them  succeed  a  long  line  of  min- 
isters, whom  Christ,  when  He  ascended  up  on 
high,  received  as  gifts  to  men ;  they  were 
charged  by  their  master  with  this  message :  — 
"  He  that  believeth  shall  be  saved,  and  he  that 
believeth  not  shall  be  damned."  With  varying 
degrees  of  faithfulness  they  have  made  this  their 
message  to  men.  When  in  times  of  apostasy  the 
people  and  their  teachers  have  degenerated,  God 


198    THE  DOCTKINE  OF  GEEIZIM  AND  EBAL. 

has  now  and  then  raised  up  one  and  another  who 
have  made  the  people  feel  that  the  duty  of  every 
minister  is  to  be  continually  saying,  "  Woe  is  me 
if  I  preach  not  the  Gospel."  There  is  a  temp- 
tation not  to  preacli  it,  for  it  is  a  self-denying 
task  to  be  continually  prophesying  evil  to  the 
sinner. 

The  experience  of  Jeremiah  is  seen  to  be  the 
certain  lot  of  those  who  like  him  are  reprovers. 
So  ministers  lower  their  tone.  Some  persuade 
them  that  they  can  more  easily  draw  than  drive 
their  hearers  to  repentance.  Therefore,  they 
prophesy  smooth  things  ;  they  preach  about  the 
Gospel  instead  of  enunciating  its  Avarnings,  mak- 
ing men  see  and  feel  the  certain  doom  which 
awaits  the  impenitent ;  they  fall  into  moral  dis- 
quisitions, portray  the  beauties  of  Christianity, 
the  character  of  Christ,  the  love  of  God ;  but 
the  great  theme  of  endless  retribution  is  by  some 
of  them  seldom  mentioned  ;  indeed  those  who 
dwell  upon  salvation  from  endless  perdition  by . 
Christ,  and  warn  men  night  and  day  with  tears, 
are  loaded  with  opprobrious  epithets.  The 
natural  consequence  of  this  is,  union  with 
pulpits  who  deny  this  doctrine,  a  most  ominous 
feature  of  our  times. 

But  here  and  there  we  find  those  who 
preach  as  the  Levites  uttered  the  words  of  the 
Most  High  on  Gerizim  and  Ebal.    George  White- 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  GERIZIM  AND  EBAL.    199 

field  was  an  example ;  our  large  towns,  North 
and  SoU'th,  record  his  faithful  ministr}^  which 
set  forth  with  the  impartiality  of  Gerizim  and 
Ebal  the  goodness  and  the  severity  of  God. 
Some  of  the  places  where  he  preached  bear  wit- 
ness that  even  his  wonderful  eloquence  did  not 
avail  to  make  tlie  doctine  of  retribution  accepta- 
ble to  the  human  heart. 

Another  example  of  faithful  enunciation  of  the 
doctrine  of  endless  retribution,  was  seen  in  the 
preaching  of  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Edwards  of 
Northampton,  Massachusetts.  Considering  how 
far  the  times  have  lapsed  from  his  standard  of 
preaching,  we  can  scarcely  believe  that  a  man  was 
bold  enough,  since  the  days  of  the  prophets  and 
apostles  to  preach  as  he  did.  He  was  celebrated 
in  England  and  Scotland  as  a  prince  among  di- 
vines ;  in  this  country,  no  stated  preacher  ever 
had  greater  celebrity  among  the  churches  and 
pastors.  Owing  to  his  ministry,  the  influence 
of  which  was  widely  diffused,  one  part  of  our 
country  was  favored  of  God  with  a  revival  of 
religion  in  1740,  which  was  seldom  if  ever  sur- 
passed in  this  or  any  land,  —  a  signal  testi- 
mony to  the  power  of  a  stated  ministry,  to  the 
diffusive  influences  of  a  single  pastor  aided  by 
the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  But  what 
were  the  themes  which  this  great  man  with  his 
feeble  voice,  inanimate  gesticulation,  dwelt  upon 


200    THE  DOCTRINE  OF  GERIZIM  AND  EBAL. 

in  his  preaching  ?  for  while  we  adore  the  sover- 
eignty of  God  in  the  success  of  such  a  man,  we 
cannot  fail  to  recognize  the  connection  which  the 
Holy  Spirit  institutes  between  truth  and  the  be- 
stowment  of  His  influences.  Here  is  a  list  of 
his  principal  discourses,  though  in  several  in- 
stances when  delivered,  it  was  a  series  of  dis- 
courses. In  the  seventh  volume  of  his  Works, 
some  of  the  principal  are  these :  "  Justifica- 
tion by  Faith  alone  ;  Men  naturally  God's  ene- 
mies; The  True  Christian's  Life  a  Journey  to- 
ward Heaven  ;  True  Grace  Distinguished  from 
the  Experience  of  Devils ;  The  Excellency  of 
Christ;  Ruth's  Resolution  ;  The  Justice  of  God 
in  the  Damnation  of  Sinners ;  Eternity  of  Hell 
Torments;  The  Punishment  of  the  Wicked  In- 
tolerable ;  The  Folly  of  Looking  back  when 
fleeing  out  of  Sodom  ;  The  Unreasonableness  of 
Indetermination  in  Religion  ;  Unbelievers  con- 
temn the  Excellency  and  Glory  of  Christ ;  God 
glorified  in  Man's  Dependence  ;  Sinners  in  the 
Hands  of  an  Angry  God." 

The  last  of  these  sern^ons  when  preached  at 
Enfield  in  1741,  is  said  to  have  electrified  the 
congregation;  it  made  them  weep  aloud;  and 
this  was  not  owing  to  the  speaker's  manner  of 
delivery,  for  nothing  could  be  more  in  contrast 
with  the  rhetorical  power  of  Whitefield  than  the 
oratory  of  Edwards.     A  minister  who  sat  in  the 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  GEEIZIM  AND  EBAL.    201 

pulpit  was  so  much  affected  by  the  preacher's 
inculcation  of  his  subject,  that  he  reached  for- 
ward and  pulled  him  by  the  coat  saying,  "  But, 
Mr.  Edwards,  remember  that  God  is  merciful." 
Mr.  Edwards  knew  that,  and  in  its  proper  place 
"he  made  it  to  be  felt ;  but  he  was  preaching  then 
from  the  second  clause  in  the  thii-ty-second  chap- 
ter of  Deuteronomy  :  '•'•  their  feet  shall  slide  in 
due  time." 

No  man's  published  sermons  are  more  full  of 
Christ  than  his.  It  was  his  intense  conviction  of 
what  Christ  is  and  has  done,  as  appears  in  his 
History  of  Redemption  and  other. treatises,  the 
most  of  them  being  the  substance  of  discourses 
from  the  pulpit,  which  made  him  feel  the  power 
of  the  apostle's  question  :  "  How  shall  we  escape 
if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation?  " 

O,  that  we  who  preach  were  willing  to  speak 
to  men  under  the  solemn  impression  that  our 
hearers  who  die  without  accepting  the  great  pro- 
pitiatory sacrifice  for  sin,  "  shall  not  see  life,  but 
the  wrath  of  God  abide th  on  them."  We  are 
not  called  of  God  to  preach  to  scholars,  as  such, 
any  more  than  Paul  regarded  himself  ordained 
to  preach  so  as  to  gratify  those  who  were  seek- 
ing after  a  sign  or  wisdom,  but  to  those  who  may 
be  hearing  from  us  for  the  last  time  the  way  of 
salvation  from  endless  punishment.  If  we  wish 
to  please  God  we  must  tread  popularity  under 


202    THE  DOCTEINE  OF  GERIZIM  AND  EBAL. 

foot,  urging  men  to  accept  the  ransom  Avhicli  Je- 
sus Christ  has  made  for  them  in  his  own  body  on 
the  tree. 

We  shall  not  be  popular  with  the  unbelieving 
world  if  we  preach  distinctively  on  retribution. 
It  is  not  in  place  here  to  rehearse  the  history  of 
this  faithful  preacher,  his  unpopularity  at  last 
with  the  rising  generation,  his  fruitless  efforts  to 
maintain  the  way  of  the  fathers.  He  yielded  to 
the  current  and  retired  to  be  president  of  a  col- 
lege ;  but  the  foe  of  God  and  man  has  not 
ceased  to  this  day  to  cast  out  his  name  as  evil. 
You  see  him  mentioned  with  reviling  in  our  own 
day.  So  the  enemies  of  Wickliffe,  5^ears  after 
his  death,  dug  up  his  bones  and  burned  them 
and  threw  his  ashes  into  the  brook  "Swift," 
which  as  it  was  said,  "  conveyed  them  into  the 
Severn  and  the  Severn  into  the  sea,  and  so  like  his 
doctrine  they  have  been  spread  the  world  over." 

We  must  tread  popularity  under  foot,  and  be 
ready  to  suffer  the  loss  of  all  things.  Doing  this 
we  shall  indeed  verify  the  words  of  the  Saviour, 
"  He  that,  hateth  his  life  shall  keep  it  unto  life 
eternal."  We  shall  secure  the  lasting  approval 
of  good  men  in  tliis  world  if  we  make  it  mani- 
fest that  our  constant  aim  is  to  preach  salvation. 

Here  this  question  arises:  Salvation  from 
what  ?  Salvation  implies  damnation.  There  is 
no   salvation   if  there  be  no  damnation.     Who 


THE  DOCTEINIE  OF  GSRIZIM  AKD  EBAL.    203 

hesitates  to  admit  that  Jesus  Clirist  is  a  Saviour  ? 
But,  Saviour  from  what  ?  Tell  me  what  is  the 
opposite  of  Salvation  ?  lu  other  words,  What 
will  happen  to  a  man  who  is  not  saved  ?  We 
are  told  that  "  God  so  loved  the  world  that  He 
gave  His  only  begotten  Son  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  Him  should  not  perish  but  have  ever- 
lasting life."  What  does  "  perish  "  mean  ?  In 
what  sense  did  the  old  world,  being  overflowed 
with  water,  "  perish  "  ?  We  can  have  no  argu- 
ment with  one  who  says.  It  means  that  God  took 
them  to  heaven ;  that  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  are 
now  under  discipline,  and  not  suffering  the  ven- 
geance of  eternal  fire. 

This  impressive  ordinance  of  God,  Gerizim 
and  Ebal,  was  to  keep  before  the  minds  of  Is- 
rael the  truth  that  the  government  of  God  over 
the  children  of  men  had  inscribed  over  it,  as  it 
were,  these  words,  "  Behold,  therefore,  the  good- 
ness and  the  severity  of  God ;  on  them  which 
fell,  severity,  but  to\>'ard  thee  goodness,  if  thou 
continue  in  His  goodness ;  otherwise  thou  shalt 
be  cut  off."  If  there  were  any  among  them  who 
were  disposed  to  argue  that  God  was  too  merci- 
ful to  punish  men  for  a  few  crimes  committed  in 
this  short  life ;  that  He  would  wink  at  their 
short  comings,  that  He  would  not  suffer  His  in- 
finite goodness  to  be  overpowered  by  His  dis- 
pleasure against  sin,  they  must  have  felt  rebuked 


204:    THE  DOCTRINE  OF  GEEIZIM  AND  EBAL. 

when  they  saw  one  half  of  the  nation  gathered 
together  to  hear  the  promises  of  God,  and  the 
other  six  tribes  employed  to  read  the  curses  which 
God  had  threatened  against  sin.  Some  may  say, 
No  doubt,  each  tribe  would  have  preferred  to 
read  tlie  blessings.  It  may  seem  hard  to  you 
that  the  same  six  should  always  stand  on  Ebal. 
It  seems  like  compelling  the  same  minister  to  be 
always  preaching  sermons  on  punishment,  and 
allowing  his  brother  to  dispense  good  tidings. 
But  God  does  not  take  the  same  view  with  men 
of  His  ministry  of  wrath ;  if  He  did  He  would 
appoint  bad  angels  only  to  execute  Plis  threat- 
ning^s  a™nst  him. 

But  we  may  doubt  if  the  angel  who  cut  off 
the  first-born  of  Egypt  was  any  the  less  amiable 
than  the  angel  who  led  Joseph  and  Mary  out  of 
Egypt  with  the  child  Jesus,  or  that  the  angel 
who  cut  off  Sennacherib's  army,  a  hundred  and 
eiglit3'-five  thousand  Assyrians  in  one  night,  was 
less  lovely  than  the  angel  who  appeared  to  Gid- 
eon as  he  threshed  wheat  by  the  wine-press. 
That  is  a  striking  passage  in  the  fifteenth  chapter 
of  Revelation  :  "  And  the  seven  angels  came  out 
of  the  temple  clothed  in  pure  and  white  linen 
and  having  their  breasts  girded  with  golden  gir- 
dles." Executioners,  in  modern  literature,  are  not 
arrayed  in  white  linen  or  girded  with  gold.  Po- 
ets and  painters  represent  the  officers  of  justice 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  GERIZEVf  AND  EBAL.    205 

as  short,  stout  men,  bow-legged,  savage.  Shake- 
speare has  such  executionei'S  of  kings,  roj-al  la- 
dies and  children.  None  of  God's  acts  of  jus- 
tice are  cruel ;  so  that  the  executors  of  them  are 
arrayed  in  white  with  golden  girdles. 

Will  this  life  be  an  end  of  retribution  for  sin  ? 
Such  is  the  expectation  of  manj^  They  pic- 
ture the  Most  High  as  employing  the  agencies 
of  woe  to  make  men  submissive  under  Him ; 
having  accomplished  which  they  say.  He 
will  take  all  who  submit,  to  heaven.  All  who 
continue  to  rebel  will,  they  think,  endure  farther 
discipline,  by  which  all  of  them  will  be  forced 
to  yield ;  so  that  the  universe  will  finally  be  set 
free  from  sin. 

Who  has  been  his  counsellor  to  teach  the  Most 
High  so  beneficient  a  scheme  ?  We  would  all 
be  willing  to  see  snch  a  happy  consummation. 
There  would  not  be  one  of  our  race  who  would 
not  say  Amen  !  to  this  good  hope,  did  the  Scrip- 
tures countenance  it.  Singular  it  is  that  the 
readers  of  the  Bible  have  none  of  them  pre- 
vailed on  the  learned,  humane,  philanthropic,  of 
whom  there  have  been  so  many  in  every  age,  to 
substitute *that  scheme  for  the  theory  of  endless 
retribution.  If  the  Word  of  God  furnished  the 
semblance  of  an  argument  or  less  than  that,  of  an 
inquiry  like  that  of  Job  about  a  future  state, 
"  If  a  man  die  shall  he  live  again  ?  "     may  we 


206    THE  DOCTEINE  OF  GEKIZIM  AND  EBAL. 

not  suppose  that  some  Christian  nation  would  by 
this  time  have  witnessed  the  formation  of  a  party 
of  believers  who  would  have  rallied  a  multitude 
around  them  ?  But  the  silence  of  evangelical 
men  with  regard  to  any  intimation  in  Scripture 
that  the  expectation  of  the  wicked  will  not  per- 
ish, is  appalling. 

One  of  the  ablest  men  who  has  written  on  the 
subject  resorts  to  mathematics  for  an  argument. 
He  says  for  substance,  "  Reckon  up  all  the  sins 
which  a  mortal  or  even  a  devil  can  have  com- 
mitted, the  mortal  in  his  three-score  and  ten 
years  of  probation,  the  fiend  in  his  ten  thousand 
years  of  depravity.  A  fearful  sum.  Take  the 
largest.  Call  in  as  many  millions  as  you  will. 
Then  think  of  eternity,  which  by  and  by  will 
overpass  all  this,  and  suppose  the  following  prob- 
lem:— the  dividend  eternal  retribution,  the  divisor 
the  number  of  sins  committed  by  an  individual, 
the  quotient  the  number  of  years  of  suffering  al- 
lotted to  each  sin,  which  in  due  space  of  being 
will  be  millions  of  years  of  suffering  for  each 
sin.  What  can  you  say  to  this?  we  are  confi- 
dently asked.  Any  one  who  is  willing  to  attempt 
to  answer  had  best  be  at  the  foot  of*  the  cross, 
where  the  God-man  is  making  expiation  for  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world,  the  sum  of  which  is 
larger  than  the  small  sum  above  stated.  There 
let  him  propose  this  question  :    "  How  shall  we 


THE  DOCTRINE  OF  GERTZIM  AND  EBAL.    207 

escape  if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation  ?  "  Let , 
him  not  feel  it  necessary  to  answer  questions 
with  wliicli  some  will  try  to  perplex  him  about 
the  heathen,  infants,  imbeciles,  backsliders  ;  but 
insist  on  saying  after  a  divine  example,  "  I  will 
also  ask  you  one  thing,"  "  How  shall  we  escape 
if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation?  " 

It  must  be  a  great  salvation  if  He  who  came 
into  the  world  to  save  sinners  was  God  made 
flesh,  a  propitiation  not  for  our  sins  onl}^,  but  for 
the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  Let  me  repeat  an 
illustration  used  elsewhere.  Columbus  argued 
that  there  must  be  a  western  continent  to  bal- 
ance the  globe.  So  we  say  that  this  great  salva- 
tion implies  that  there  must  be  a  great  damna- 
tion. The  unutterable  horror  with  wlrich  the 
mind  is  filled  in  contemplathig  endless  punish- 
ment may  be  regarded  as  having  its  equivalent 
in  the  astonishment  with  which  the  mind  is  filled 
in  contemplating  God  made  flesh  for  sinful  men, 
going  to  the  cross,  thence  being  the  tenant  of  the 
tomb,  delivered  for  our  offences,  raised  for  our 
justification.  Let  him  who  tries  to  measure  with 
the  eye  of  an  insect,  the  great  gulf  fixed  to  make 
impassable  the  return  of  the  impenitent  dead 
from  hell  to  heaven,  first  measure  with  his  eye 
the  distance  traversed  by  the  Incarnate  God  from 
the  throne  which  was  before  all  things,  to  close 
the  prison-door  of  lost  angels,  ere  the  morning 


208    THE  DOCTEINE  OF  GERIZIM  AND  EBAL. 

stars  sang  together  and  all  the  sons  of  God 
shouted  for  joy  over  this  world  ordained  to  be  the 
scene  of  man's  redemption.  Could  we  institute 
the  comparison,  we  should  learn,  perhaps,  that 
for  the  Word  to  make  Himself  of  no  reputation, 
and  take  upon  Himself  the  form  of  a  servant, 
stands  first  among  the  things  into  which  angels 
desire  to  look  rather  than  the  everlasting  pun- 
ishment of  those  wlio  pierced  Him,  crucifying 
Him  afresh,  compelling  the  remonstrance,  "  How 
often  would  I*  have  gathered  you,  —  and  ye 
would  not." 

If  we  stumble  at  the  assignment  of  intermin- 
able misery  for  sin  committed  in  a  mere  span  of 
time,  let  us  ask  ourselves  why  do  we  begin  to 
stumble  at  this,  when  there  is  long  before,  more 
than  enough  to  confound  us.  The  Bible  says, 
that  by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world  and 
death  by  sin ;  that  by  one  man's  disobedience 
many  were  made  sinners ;  that  by  one  man's  of- 
fence death  reigned  by  one  ;  that  by  the  offence 
of  one,  judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  condem- 
nation. This  has  continued  Tor  at  least  five 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  seventy-three  years ; 
all  in  consequence  of  one  man's  disobedience. 
Reckon,  if  you  can,  the  misery  of  the  human  race 
for  these  fifty  or  sixty  centuries,  the  consequence 
of  one  man's  disobedience  ;  say  how  long  it  took 
that  one  man  to  commit  that  one  act  of  disobe- 


THE  DOCTEINE  OF  GEEIZIM  AND  EBAL.    209 

dience.  Can  you  believe  tliat  by  one  man's  of- 
fence committed  in  a  brief  space  of  time,  there 
have  been  fifty  or  sixt}-  centuries  of  human  sin 
and  misery  ?  Believe  it  or  not,  the  truth  stands 
recorded;  yet  men  say,  God  cannot  surely  in- 
flict ages  of  misery  for  the  consequences  of  sins 
committed  in  a  life  time ;  whereas  He  has  done 
it  in  consequence  of  one  man's  disobedience. 
The  added  transgressions  of  each  and  every  sin- 
ner make  it  no  less  true  that  by  one  man's  of- 
fence death  reigned  by  one. 

All  through  the  New  Testament  there  is  the 
same  parallelism  of  blessing  and  cursing  which 
there  was  in  the  Old  Testament.  Gerizim  and 
Ebal  stand  with  responsive  blessings  and  curses 
on  the  saint  and  sinner.  The  language  of  the 
blessings  and  curses  from  Gerizim  and  Ebal  were 
not  so  terrible  as  the  language  of  the  Saviour  in 
the  New  Testament.  Revelation  does  not  as- 
sume milder  tones  as  it  approaches  the  evening. 
There  are  words  in  the  Saviour's  discourses  re- 
lating to  future  retribution  which  we  are  more 
disposed  to  read  in  a  lowered  tone  than  anything 
in  Deuteronomy.  Then  we  come  to  the  apostle 
Paul  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  in  the  first 
two  chapters  of  whicli  language  is  brought  to  the 
highest  pitch  of  intensity  in  describing  the  in- 
dignation and  wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish 
threatened  against  every  soul  that^ettf  evil. 


^^ 


210    THE  DOCTRINE  OF  GEEIZIM  AND  EBAL. 

At  last  comes  the  beloved  disciple  and  closes 
the  sacred  book  with  imagery,  because  literal 
speech  was  not  adequate  to  express  the  intense- 
ness  of  his  conceptions.  One  expression  is  used 
by  him  to  denote  the  future  punishment  of  the 
wicked  which  has  no  equivalent  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament :  "  And  said  to  the  mo,untains,  Fall  on  us, 
and  to  the  hills.  Cover  us  from  tlie  face  of  Him 
that  sitteth  upon  the  throne  and  from  the  wrath 
of  the  Lamb."  Thus  we  are  brought  down  to 
the  end  of  the  world  and  find  the  Gerizim  and 
Ebal  of  Deuteronomy  extending  their  symboli- 
cal presence  through  the  last  book  of  the  Bible, 
where  the  waves  of  a  dread  ocean  come  ashore. 

I  come  now  to  propose  the  question  in  the 
text.  If  it  is  in  figurative  language,  the  great- 
ness of  the  theme  justifies  it.  Gerizim  and  Ebal 
extend  their  influence  down  to  the  boundary  line 
of  this  world  and  the  next.  The  question  is : 
"  Are  they  not  on  the  other  side  Jordan  by  the 
way  where  the  sun  goeth  down  ?"  Is  there  not 
a  Gerizim  and  Ebal  in  eternity  ?  forever  a  heaven 
and  hell  ?  Do  not  blessing  and  cursing  follow 
us  ?  Is  not  God  the  same  on  the  other  side  Jor- 
dan by  the  way  where  the  sun  goeth  down,  as 
He  is  here  ? 

I  once  looked  from  the  window  of  a  hotel  in 
Switzerland  on  the  lake  of  Geneva,  one  morning 
just  before  sunrise,  and  was  astonished  to  see  im- 


THE  DOCTRmB  OF  GERIZIM  AKD  EBAL. 

ages  of  mountains  in  the  lake.  No  mountains 
were  near,  or  in  the  horizon.  An  intelligent 
fellow  traveler  said  to  me,  "  They  are  the  Alps. 
You  cannot  see  them,  but  the  refraction  of  tjie 
rising  sun-light  throws  down  their  images  upon 
the  lake  from  the  upper  air."  The  Bible  is  a  lake 
on  the  surface  of  which  the  light  beyond  Jordan 
throws  down  images  of  things  which  are  there, 
among  which  are  Gerizim  and  Ebal. 

On  this  subject  of  the  eternity  of  retribution 
after  death,  one  consideration  has  for  a  long  time 
settled  the  question  which  used  to  agitate  my 
mind  when  I  thought  if  it  could  be  just  to  award 
an  endless  penalty  for  sins  committed  here. 
Leaving  to  the  omniscient  Judge  many  things 
which  the  light  of  eternity  alone  can  make  plain, 
I  said,  If  the  Word  was  made  flesh  and  suffered 
death  for  me,  and  I  reject  or  neglect  that  propi- 
tiation for  my  sins,  I  believe  that  there  is  no 
other  remedy.  He  that  spared  not  His  own  Son, 
will  not  spare  him  who  treads  the  blood  of  that 
Son  under  foot.  We  must  not  think  the  hein- 
ousness  of  sin  is  in  the  number  or  character  of 
our  misdeeds ;  but  in  not  believing  on  Christ. 
No  one  can  be  lost  who  believes  in  Christ,  fla- 
grant, numberless,  though  his  sins  may  have  been. 
Observation  and  reflection  have  deepened  my 
conviction  that  more  are  saved  by  simple  faith  in 
Christ  at  the  last  than  may  have  been  feared ; 


212    THE  DOCTRINE  OF  GERIZIM  AND  EBAL. 

and  this  I  say,  without  abating  one  tittle  of  con- 
viction that  too  much  cannot  be  said  of  the  haz- 
ard which  there  is  in  delaying  compliance  with 
tfee  terms  of  salvation. 

Such  cases  as  the  following  make  a  happy  im- 
pression on  my  mind  :  A  young  sailor  fell  from 
the  yard-arm  of  his  ship  into  the  sea.  The  ship 
was  put  about,  lie  was  found,  but  senseless.  Re- 
storatives were  successful.  On  regaining  his 
consciousness  he  soon  turned  over  upon  his  knees 
and  uttered  a  prayer  of  consecration  to  Christ, 
saying  to  those  around  him,  "This  is  what  I 
did  when  I  supposed  myself  to  be  drowning.  I 
gave  my  soul  to  Clndst.  I  felt  that  I  was  ac- 
cepted through  that  one  simple  act  of  faith  in 
the  Saviour."  It  will  not  be  your  sin  that  will 
destroy  you.  Unbelief  will  be  the  perdition  of 
more  under  tlie  Gospel  than  all  gins.  All  the 
curses  of  Mount  Ebal  will  light  on  him  who  had 
the  offers  of  pardon  from  the  Son  of  God  and 
died  in  unbelief.  The  blessings  of  a  thous- 
and Mount  Gerizims  will  be  imputed  to  the 
greatest  sinner  who  simply  believes  in  Jesus. 
"  Who  is  wise,  and  he  shall  understand  these 
things ;  prudent,  and  he  shall  know  them ;  for 
the  ways  of  the  Lord  are  right,  and  the  just  shall 
walk  in  them,  but  the  transgressors  shall  fall 
therein." 


XII. 
ONLOVma  THE  UNSEEN  REDEEMER. 

"  Whom  having  not  seen,  ye  love ;  in  whom,  though  now  ye  see  him  not, 
yet  believing,  ye  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory."  —  i  Peter 
i:8. 

THE  most  remarkable  illustration  of  human 
love  is  and  always  has  been,  the  personal 
attachment  of  Christian  believers  to  Jesus  Christ. 
The  larger  part  of  his  Apostles  suffered  martyr- 
dom from  love  to  Him.  The  history  of  Christi- 
anity under  the  emperors  shows  that  inge- 
nuity was  exhausted  in  the  invention  of  tor- 
tures for  them.  Letters,  hymns  and  prayers 
written  in  the  early  ages,  rehearsing  the  words 
and  deeds  of  the  first  Christians  show,  that 
whether  they  were  fanatics  or  otherwise,  their 
love  to  their  Lord  and  Master  was  unpar- 
alleled. The*apostle  Paul  tells  us  that  from  per- 
sonal love  to  Christ,  'he  had  suffered  the  loss  of 
all  things  ;  and  many  things  had  he  to  lose.  He 
lost  a  lucrative  practice  as  a  Roman,  and  Jewish 
lawyer;  his  reputation  was  utterly  destroyed; 

(213) 


214      ON  LOVING  THE  UNSEEN  EEDEEMEE. 

lie  having  no  friends  left  to  him  but  the  despised 
Christians.  It  would  seem  strange  to  us  if  some 
member  of  the  bar  in  great  repute,  should  be 
publicly  beaten  with  rods  by  the  civil  authorities 
and  several  times  stoned;  well  might  he  say  that  as 
a  professional  man  he  had  suffered  the  loss  of  all 
things  ;  after  that,  none  would  entrust  their  lives, 
fortunes,  characters  in  his  hands.  His  was  a 
specimen  of  the  treatment  which  the  followers  of 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  endured,  from  love  to  Him. 
One  specification  of  their  treatment  might  have 
been  expressed  in  these  words:  "they  were 
tempted."  It  was  not  all  stones,  dens  and  caves, 
wandering  in  sheepskins  and  goatskins ;  bland- 
ishments, flattery,  tears,  the  loss  of  most  desirable 
connections,  prospects  of  wealth,  reputation, 
fame,  solicited  many  of  them  ;  and  we  may  sup- 
pose that  in  resisting  these  things,  especially 
when  pressed  upon  them  with  kindness,  disinter- 
ested affection,  and  gentleness,  some  of  them 
actually  suffered  more  than  others  did  who  en- 
dured martyrdom.  It  was  hard  parting  with  en- 
deared friends ;  but  there  were  times  when  some 
of  them  had  to  give  and  receive  the  last  embrace, 
see  their  friends  going  back  to  home  and  a'fiflu- 
ence,  and  the  sweet  securities  of  law  and  order, 
and  they  themselves  consigned  to  want  and  ob- 
loquy ;  homeless ;  outcast,  among  tlie  dens  of 
wild  beasts.    And  all  this  when  a  single  word  of 


ON  LOVING  THE  UNSEEN  EEDEEMER.      215 

recantation,  abjuring  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ, 
would  make  their  fortune,  would  put  the  crown 
of  professional  or  social  distinction  upon  them. 
But  their  motto  was  one  which  was  perpetuated 
down  to  the  sixteenth  century,  used  by  Lambert 
the  martyr  when  at  the  stake  for  his  religion,  he 
said,  in  answer  to  the  men  who  offered  him  life 
and  liberty  if  he  would  sign  a  recantation,  "None 
but  Christ,  none  but  Christ."  Pliny  the  younger 
wrote  to  the  Emperor  Trajan :  "  They  are  accus- 
tomed to  meet  before  daylight,  and  sing  hymns 
to  Christ  as  to  God." 

This  love  to  Christ  is  perpetually  mani- 
festing itself  from  the  dawn  of  Chi-istianity,  as 
though  the  multitude  of  the  heavenly  host  had 
given  the  melody,  and  it  were  learned  and  sung 
by  all  who  loved  the  babe  of  Bethlehem. 

But  the  most  remarkable  thing  in  this  love  to 
Christ  is,  that  it  was  felt  by  those  who  had  never 
known,  personally,  this  wonderful  being.  Peter 
being  then  alive,  of  course  there  may  have  been 
others  living  who  Avere  cotemporaries  of  Christ. 
None  of  them  it  seems,  were  included  in  this 
address.  The  people  to  whom  Peter  now  writes 
were  not,  therefore,  a  small  company  of  enthusi- 
asts, who  by  association,  with  celebrations,  lec- 
tures, and  mystical  ceremonies,  had  created  a 
fictitious  kind  of  enthusiasm  among  their  own 
clan.     Such  clans  were  common,  especially  when 


216      ON  LOVING  THE  UNSEEN  EEDEEMEK. 

a  new  teacher  or  founder  of  some  school  arose. 
But  there  was  no  society.  These  epistles  are 
not  addressed  to  any  body  of  people  in  one  place, 
organized,  and  keeping  up  each  other's  zeal  and 
love,  or  even  their  faitli,  by  their  rites,  proces- 
sions, harangues.  The  words  of  the  text  are  ad- 
dressed to  "strangers  scattered  abroad  through- 
out Pontus,  Galatia,  Cappadocia,  Asia  and  Bithy- 
nia."  You  will  observe,  therefore,  that  it  is  to 
individuals  that  these  words  of  the  text  are  ad- 
dressed. They  might  reach  a  man  in  a  prison, 
or  hidden  in  a  den  from  persecutors,  or  working 
in  the  mines  as  a  slave ;  or  a  solitary  believer  in 
the  household  of  the  emperor ;  no  meetings  for 
exhortation  within  reach  ;  forgotten,  it  may  be, 
by  all ;  jet  in  the  solitary  heart  of  each  of  these 
strangers,  scattered  abroad,  Peter  knew  that  his 
words  would  find  a  response. 

Like  a  great  magnet  passing  over  heaps  of 
rubbish  there  would  be  pieces  of  steel,  which,  as 
the  attraction  went  by  would  turn.  And  so  it 
is  now.  When  this  text  is  read,  there  are  hearts 
which  say,  "  Now  we  shall  liear  something  about 
Christ."  His  name  is  as  ointment  poured  forth. 
His  name  is  "  above  every  name."  It  is  the  only 
name  which  among  believers  is  universal,  sover- 
eign. They  will  differ  over  'the  name  of  every 
thing  else,  even  in  religion ;  but  when  it  comes  to 
this  name,  there  is  a  power  like  that  of  the  morn- 


ON  LOVING  THE  UNSEEN  EEDEEMER.      217 

iiig  light  in  nature.     May  His  Spirit  guide  us  as 
it  shall  now  be  set  forth. 

The  subject  of  my  discourse  is 

The  love  of  Christians  to  the  unseen  Redeemer, 

I.  Who  is  He  ? 

One  word  expresses  Him  :  "Wonderful." 

Within  a  few  weeks,  by  steam,  from  any  of  our 
ports,  you  could  reach  a  place  where  a  child  was 
born  who  is  now  at  the  head  of  the  universe. 
You  will  not  understand  this  as  a  figure  of 
speech,  nor  am  I  indulging  in  large  expressions. 
As  you,  once  an  infant,  are  no^y  at  man's  estate, 
He  is  now  Lord  of  all.  He  was  a  man  like  us, 
hungry,  athirst,  asleep,  limited  in  the  exercise  of 
His  powers  of  mind  and  body.  Yet  "all  things 
were  made  by  Him,  and  without  Him  was  not 
any  thing  made  that  was  made."  Now,  He  has 
"  gone  unto  heaven  and  is  at  the  right  hand  of 
God  ;  angels,  authorities,  and  powers  being  made 
subject  unto  Him."  He  will  one  day  sit  as 
Judge  of  all ;  before  Him  shall  be  gathered  all 
nations,  and  He  shall  separate  them  one  from 
another.     He  is  "  God  manifest  in  the  flesh." 

II.  By  His  death  He  made  an  atone- 
ment FOK  SIN,  REACHING  IN  ITS  INFUENCE 
FROM   THE  BEGINNING  TO   THE  END   OF  TIME. 


218      ON  LOVING  THE  UNSEEN  REDEEMER. 

He  was  "  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world." 

They  who  have  believed  in  this  unseen  Re- 
deemer, have  had  personal  experience  of  His 
power  to  effect  their  peace  with  God.  Had  He 
been  made  known  to  them  merely  as  a  prodig}^, 
though  the  most  wonderful  of  beings,  this  would 
not  have  excited  their  enthusiasm.  The  powers 
of  nature  do  not  so  affect  the  hearts  of  men  as 
Christ  has  affected  them.  They  believed  in  Him 
as  the  God-man  whom  the  apostles  dwelt  with 
as  a  personal  friend,  with  whom  they  sat  at  meat, 
who  called  them  "  friends,"  had  compassion  on 
their  ignorance,  prayed  for  them,  laid  His  hands 
on  them  and  blessed  them.  They  thus  believed 
that  all  which  He  had  been  and  promised  to  be 
to  His  immediate  disciples.  He  would  be  to  them. 
Some  of  His  words,  no  doubt,  were  reported  by 
ear  witnesses;  for  example,  "Where  two  or 
three  are  gathered  together  in  my  name,  there 
am  I  in  the  midst  of  them."  That  passage  re- 
peated, when  two  or  three  of  them  met  in  a 
desert,  created  enthusiasm.  Take  another  :  "If 
any  man  love  Me  my  FatJier  will  love  him,  and 
I  will  love  him  and  will  manifest  myself  to  him." 
Tliey  lived  on  those  words,  no  doubt,  from  day 
to  day.  Then  came  those  gracious  promises;  "  M}^ 
sheep  shall  never  perish  ;  "  "  All  that  the  Father 
hath  given  Me  shall  come  to  Me  ;    and  him  that 


ON  LOVING  THE  UNSEEN  EEDEEMEE.      219 

Cometh  unto  Me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out." 
"•  As  My  Father  hath  loved  Me,  even  so  have  I 
loved  you ;  continue  ye  in  my  love."  Then 
those  affecting  words  foretelling  His  death  :  — 
"  Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this,  that  a  man 
lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends."  "  I  lay  down 
my  life  for  the  sheep."  "  Every  one  which  seeth 
the  Son  and  belie veth  on  Him  hath  everlasting 
life,  and  I  will*  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day." 
Then  the  story  of  His  betrayal,  and  His  volun- 
tary surrender  of  Himself,  and  His  furnishing 
the  testimony  on  which  His  life  was  taken ;  of 
His  words  and  actions  on  the  cross  to  His  mother 
and  to  the  beloved  disciple,  and  the  penitent 
thief,  and  His  prayer  for  His  murderers.  His 
death.  His  burial  by  Joseph  and  Nicodemus,  His 
resurrection  attested  by  the  eleven  and  by  other 
companies,  and  by  five  hundred  brethren  at  once; 
His  ascension,  the  appearance  of  the  two  men 
in  white  apparel  declaring  His  coming  again  ;  — 
all  this  made  believers  love  Him,  trust  in  Him, 
"rejoice  in  Him  with  joy  unspeakable  and  fall  of 
glory,"  and  "  suffer  the  loss  of  all  things  for 
His  name's  sake,"  and  die  for  Him. 

Ignatius  bared  his  breast  to  the  lions  in  the 
amphitheatre  when  led  forth  to  die  for  the  Lord 
Jesus.  Polycarp  said,  "  Eighty  and  six  years 
have  I  served  Him  and  He  has  never  failed  me  ; 
shall  I  now  forsake  Him  ?  "  This  was  "  joy  un- 
speakable and  fall  of  glory." 


220      ON  LOVIKG  THE  UNSEEN  EEDEEMER. 

One  thing  lie  could  not  have  said  unless  he  were 
either  an  arrant  imposter,  or,  divine:  "He  that 
loveth  father  or  mother  more  than  Me  is  not 
worthy  of  Me,  and  he  that  loveth  son  or  daughter 
more  than  Me  is  not  worthy  of  Me." 

A  young  father  and  mother  are  bending  over 
their  first-born  asleep,  and  they  think  of  those 
words ;  there  is  one  who  claims  a  stronger  love 
than  they  feel  for  the  little  childj  not  that  they 
must  not  love  their  little  one,  but  this  unseen 
Friend  says,  "  there  is  more  in  me  to  love  than 
natural  affection  can  find  in  that  child."  The 
young  parents  acknowledge  it  and  give  them- 
selves and  their  child  to  their  unseen  Redeemer. 
Never,  never  was  there  such  love  on  earth,  never, 
we  may  safely  say,  was  there  such  love  in  heaven 
till  redeemed  sinners  bore  it  thither.  It  has  been 
well  said,  that  but  for  sin  there  would  have  been 
no  minor  key  in  music ;  and  what  would  music 
be  without  that  key  ? 

The  fall  of  angels,  the  vacant  thrones,  their 
harps  hung  up,  inspired  angelic  strains  no  doubt, 
with  the  impassioned  wail  which  so  wonderfully 
varies  the  earthly  hallelujah;  but  the  death  of 
Christ  and  all  the  melting  themes  inspired  by  that 
event,  have  given  to  tlie  song  of  redemption  that 
unequalled  power  which  made  the  writer- of  the 
Revelation  say  of  it  as  he  listened,  "  And  no  man 
could  learn  that  song  but  the  hundred  and  forty 


OK  LOVING  THE  UNSEEN  EEDEEMEE.      221 

and  four  thousand  which  were  redeemed  from 


55 


III.  The  love*  of  Christians  for  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  same  now  as  ever. 

This  love  to  an  unseen  Saviour  which  Peter 
in  the  text  describes  as  felt  hy  those  believers  to 
whom  he  wrote,  continues  to  our  day.  It  is  a 
love  Avhich  absorbs  every  other,  supplants  every 
other,  compensates  for  the  loss  of  every  other. 

There  was  a  j'oung  Christian  engaged  to  be 
united  in  sacred  bonds  to  one  who,  on  further 
acquaintance,  proved  not  to  be  as  she  at  first 
supposed,  a  believer  in  Christ.  It  cost  her  a 
mighty  sacrifice  to  dissolve  the  tie,  as  she  felt 
constrained  to  do.  She  gave  up  a  competency 
and  something  more  ;  she  sacrificed  relationship)S 
which  were  inviting,  because  she  could  not  take 
for  her  nearest  and  dearest  earthly  friend  one 
who  did  not  love  her  Redeemer.  And  what  was 
the  consequence  ?  By  this  experience  that 
young  Christian  was  qualified  to  write  the  hymn 
beginning, 

"  Jesus,  I  my  cross  have  taken, 
All  to  leave  and  follow  Thee  ; 
Naked,  poor,  despised,  forsaken, 
Thou  henceforth  my  all  shalt  be." 

All  over  the  world  wherever  the  name  of  Je- 


222      ON  LOVING  THE  UNSEEN  EEDEEMEE. 

sus  is  known,  there  are  hearts  which  love  Him 
with  this  joy  Avhich  is  unspeakable  and  full  of 
glory.  Among  the  powers  oLnature  there  is  one 
"which  reminds  us  of  it:  The  supposed  influence 
of  the  moon  over  the  tides.  Dark,  and  even 
stormy  may  be  the  night,  and  the  sky  give  no 
sign  of  the  moon,  yet  the  mariner  in  mid  ocean 
may  feel  the  influence  of  the  tide,  and  every 
shore  will  record  its  ebb  and  flow.  The  sand 
rows  on  the  beach,  and  the  small  pools  with 
their  tiny  inhabitants,  tlie  lifted  keel  and  the 
floating  vessel,  witness  every  six  hours  its 
changes.  He  who  thus  influences  the  sea  by  the 
earth's  satellite,  controls  unseen,  the  hearts  of  all 
His  people,  scattered  over  continents  and  oceans, 
in  islands,  deserts,  and  the  city. 

IV.  It  is  NOTICEABLE  IN  LOVE  TO  AN  UN- 
SEEN Christ,  that  those  who  had  never 
SEEN  Him  loved  Him  as  much  as  those 
WHO  WERE  His  personal  associates. 

Indeed  we  may  go  further ;  they  loved  Him 
more  than  these  did  when  He  was  yet  alive. 
After  His  ascension,  Peter  might  be  expected 
still  to  love  Christ.  James  and  John  with  Peter 
had  peculiar  reasons  for  loving  Him.  All  who 
personally  knew  Him  and  were  touched  by  His 
character,  words  and  sufferings,  might  be   ox- 


ON  LOVING  THE  UNSEEN  EEDEEMEE.      223 

pected  to  cherish  a  life-long  affection  for  Him. 
But  you  will  notice  in  the  words  of  the  text  and 
context  that  Peter  does  not  exhort  these  Chris- 
tians on  this  subject,  —  no,  he  merely  describes 
them  and  rejoices  over  them  ;  he  speaks  twice  of 
their  overflowing:  love  to  the  unseen  Christ. 

If  love  to  Christ,  then,  is  not  dependent  on 
sight,  and  those  who  have  lived  since  His  day 
have  loved  Him  even  more  than  His  first  disci- 
ples could  before  His  death  and  resurrection, 
one  thing  follows  of  exceeding  great  importance 
and  interest  to  ns. 

I  observe  then, 

V.    All  may  love  Him.     - 

This  is  important  to  us,  because  without  it  the 
subject  of  love  to  Christ  is  of  no  more  interest 
to  us  than  the  love  of  Joseph  and  Benjamin,  or 
of  David  and  Jonathan,  or,  in  profane  history,  of 
Damon  and  Pythias.  If  they  to  whom  Peter 
wrote,  scattered  everywhere,  loved  Christ  more 
than  Peter  himself  during  the  Saviour's  life  ac- 
tually did,  we  see  that  love  to  Christ  can  be  felt 
by  us,  can  be  enjoyed  by  us,  as  well  as  by  them. 
Joyful  thought !  we  are  included  in  those  to 
whom  Peter  addressed  his  epistles,  —  "to  all 
who  in  every  place  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  both  theirs  and   ours ;    and  with 


224      ON  LOVING  THE  UNSEEN  REDEEMEK. 

those  on  whom  another  apostle  pronounces  that 
benediction  :  "  Grace  be  with  all  them  that  love 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity." 

If  the  characteristic  of  love  to  the  Saviour  is 
love  to  an  unseen  Christ,  A  Christian  ought 

NEVER  TO  FEEL  UNHAPPY  AT  HiS  SUPPOSED 
ABSENCE  FROM    HIM. 

We  should  so  feel  toward  Christ  as  to  warrant 
those  words  being  addressed  to  us  when  cast 
down  :  "  In  whom  though  now  ye  see  Him  not, 
yet  believing,  ye  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable 
and  full  of  glory."  Let  Him  manifest  Himself 
as  much  or  as  little  as  He  pleases,  we  should  not 
allow  our  feelings  to  depend  on  this. 

Much  of  the  despondency  in  Christians  is 
owing  to  their  not  understanding  one  object 
which  there  evidently  is  in  these  words  :  "Whom 
not  having  seen  ye  love."  We  are  to  love  Him 
by  faith ;  love  Him  unseen  as  though  we  saw 
Him ;  for  faith  is  a  substitute  for  sight.  "  Ye 
see  Him  not,  yet  believing,  ye  rejoice  with  joy 
unspeakable  and  full  of  glory." 

FINALLY.  If  so  much  is  true  as  re- 
gards THE  LOVE  OF  CHRISTIANS  TO  THE  SA- 
VIOUR, WE  MAY  BE  ASSURED  THAT  THERE  IS 
RECIPROCAL  LOVE  ON  THE  PART  OF  ChRIST 
TO  THEM. 

Strange  would  it  be  if  He  who  is  love  incar- 


ON  LOVING  THE  UNSEEN  REDEEMER.      225 

nate  should  prove  cold  and  heartless,  He  who 
inspired  His  servant  Joim  to  write  such  loving 
words  to  us  as  we  find  in  His  gospel. 

Let  us  take  heed  to  the  whispers  of  the  Holy- 
Spirit,  whose  mission  it  is  to  reveal  Christ  unto 
us. 

His  name  closes  the  word  of  God,  who  is 
called  the  Word :  "  He  which  testifieth  these 
things  saith.  Surely,  I  come  quickly.  Amen. 
Even  so,  come  Lord  Jesus. 


XIII. 

ON  PAS  SIN  a    BY  ANGELS   TO   RE- 
DEEM MEN 

"  For  verily  he  took  not  on  him  the  nature  of  angels,  but  he  took  on  him 
the  seed  of  Abraham."  —  Hebrews  2  :    16. 

Apart  of  an  angelic  race,  superior  to  man, 
apostatized  from  God.  No  Redeemer 
interposed  to  help  them.  The  inhabitants  of 
this  world  apostatized  from  God,  and  a  Redeemer 
took  on  Him  their  nature  to  redeem  them.  Who 
He  was,  we  learn  from  these  inspired  words  :  "In 
the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was 
with  God  and  the  Word  was  God.  The  same  was 
in  the  beginning  with  God.  All  things  were 
made  by  Him,  and  without  Him  was  not  any 
thing  made  that  was  made.  And  the  Word  was 
made  flesh  and  dwelt  among  us,  and  we  beheld 
His  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of 
the  Father  full  of  grace  and  truth." 

Here  is  a  disclosure  ;  and  then  a  veil  is  drawn 
over  it.     Doubtless  this  is  best  for  us.     We  could 
not  have  understood  a  clearer  revelation.     As  it 
(226) 


ON  PASSING  BY  ANGELS  TO  REDEEM  MEN.  227 

is,  we  cannot  solve  one  of  tlie  questions  which 
human  curiosity  would  ask.  He  "  was  with  God 
and  He  was  God."  If  any  one  will  resolve  that 
mystery,  he  may,  perhaps,  proceed  and  explain 
the  dark  things  which  multiply  as  we  proceed. 
One  who  is  God  "  was  made  flesh  and  dwelt 
among  us."  And  of  Him  we  are  told  in  the 
text,  "  He  took  not  on  Him  the  nature  of  angels, 
but   He   took  on  Him    the  seed  of  Abraham." 

Someone,  then,  in  the  Jewish  line  took  on  Him 
the  nature  of  man,  and  did  not  take  on  Him  the 
nature  of  angels.  Who  was  He  ?  One  is 
spoken  of  here  who  existed  first  not  as  man  or 
angel,  but  took  on  Him  the  nature  of  man,  not 
of  angels.  He,  tlierefore,  has  two  natures  ;  one 
of  them  is  ours.  But  it  is  implied  in  the  text 
that  it  was  optional  with  Him  which  of  these 
two  natures  He  should  take;  In  the  plainest 
terms,  therefore,  an  incarnation  is  here  declared; 
and  the  first  chapter  of  John  makes  it  certain 
that  the  Divine  Word  joined  human  nature  to 
Himself,  and  with  these  two  natures  in  one  per- 
son. He  became  the  Redeemer  of  men. 

Why  did  He  not  for  the  same  purpose  for 
which  He  took  on  Him  our  nature,  take  the  na- 
ture of  angels?  Here  is  the  interesting  point 
which  the  text  brings  to  view. 

Among  the  spheres  which  compose  our  solar 
system,  this  world  is  the  smallest  of  the  primary 


228  ON  PASSING  BY  ANGELS 

planets  but  two.  But  we  greatly  err  if  we  esti- 
mate the  worth  of  a  world  by  its  size.  We  are 
in  the  habit  of  supposing  that  our  Earth  must  be 
inferior  in  all  respects  because  it  is  small.  The 
Creator  has  not  adopted  such  a  standard  of  value. 
The  wise  men  of  the  East  came  to  Jerusalem  no 
doubt  expecting  that  the  King  of  kings  was 
was  born  there  ;  but  they  found  His  birthplace  to 
be  Bethlehem,  which  was  little  among  the  thous- 
ands of  Judah.  "  He  chose  David  also,  and  took 
him  from  the  sheepfold,  to  feed  Jacob  his  people 
and  Israel  His  inheritance." 

We  may  expect  to  find  that  the  Creator  has 
made  use  of  this  world  of  a  size  thus  inferior,  to 
pour  contempt  on  pride.  If  He  who  made  all 
things  took  upon  Him  man's  nature,  we  may  feel 
sure  that  there  is  in  that  nature  some  intrinsic 
excellence  and  greatness,  one  proof  of  which  is 
that  it  is  capable  of  being  united  with  the  per- 
son of  the  Word  who  was  in  the  beginning  with 
God,  and  was  God. 

But  so,  unquestionably,  was  the  angels'  nature; 
for  man  is  a  little  lower  than  the  angels.  Here 
were  two  fallen  races  before  the  eye  of  the  Re- 
deemer, and  we  cannot  doubt  that  it  was  optional 
with  Him  to  redeem  either  of  them,  or  both. 
Why  He  did  not  redeem  both  must  be  left  to 
sovereign  wisdom  ;  to  Him  who  giveth  no  account 
of  any  of  His  matters.     Why  in  deciding  to  re- 


i 


TO  REDEEM  MEN".  229 

deem  one  of  them  He  chose  to  save  man  aud  not 
angels  is  the  subject  before  ns,  not  for  our  opin- 
ion or  judgment,  but  for  our  contemplation  and 
humble  fear. 

I.  Fallen  angels,  if  redeemed,  would 

NO  DOUBT  BECOME  AS  GREAT  AND  GLORIOUS 
AS  BEFORE. 

An  angel  certainly  is  as  precious  as  the  soul  of 
a  Hottentot.  Why  are  the  inhabitants  of  Labra- 
dor or  of  the  South  Seas  redeemed  by  Christ,  and 
not  angels  ?  What  can  be  said  of  a  pagan's  soul 
as  to  its  future  development  and  happiness  which 
cannot  be  said  of  an  angel  redeemed  ?  There 
would  have  been  one  consideration  at  least  in 
favor  of  redeeming  an  angel.  The  pagan  does 
not  know  what  he  has  lost.  The  auG^el  is  con- 
scious  of  his  depravity.  An  angel's  memory 
surely  is  worth  redeeming.  He  recollects  the 
moment  when  he  waked  into  life  in  heaven; 
when  he  first  looked  upon  the  face  of  God ; 
Avhen  consciousness  first  possessed  him ;  when 
he  said.  What  am  I  ?  who  am  I  ?  where  am  I  ? 
and  joy  began  to  course  through  him  and  the 
whispers  of  divine  love  soothed  him  and  made 
him  acquainted  with  himself,  and  the  first-born 
of  his  companions  drew  near  and  taught  him, 
and  at  last  he  came  to  the  full  knowledge  of 
what   existence   is.     All  the  succession  of  the 


230  ON  PASSING   BY  ANGELS 

heavenly  hours,  days,  years,  and  centuries,  or 
whatever  they  are  called,  is  remembered  by  him  ; 
his  loves,  his  joys,  his  discoveries,  his  first  ad- 
ventures into  unknown  latitudes  of  bliss  open- 
ing still  into  new  and  more  ecstatic  joys ;  and 
all  those  quiet,  meditative  hours  when  in  com- 
munion with  God  and  his  own  so-ul  he  said,  This 
is  lieaven,  eternity  in  heaven  ;  and  looking  upon 
beings  superior  to  himself  and  gazing  abroad  on 
a  universe  unexplored,  he  said,  "It  doth  not  yet 
appear  what  we  shall  be." 

Though  it  is  revolting  to  the  thoughts  to  con- 
template the  condition  of  fallen  angelic  beings 
on  account  of  their  unspeakable  degradation,  it 
is  only  more  so  than  to  contemplate  Satan,  be- 
cause his  chiefdom  gives  him  a  dignity  in  our 
eyes,  much  as  we  respect  a  principal  bandit, 
while  we  detest  his  men.  There  is  no  reason  to 
doubt  that  those  evil  spirits  who  took  possession 
of  the  souls  and  bodies  of  human  beings  in  the 
time  of  Christ  were  fallen  angels,  because  Satan 
is  called  their  prince.  Moreover,  they  were  an- 
ticipating a  day  of  judgment,  which  is  some  con- 
firmatory evidence  that  they  were  those  for  whom 
a  day  of  doom  is  prepared,  when  they  will  be 
sent  out  into  the  abyss.  It  was  a  legion  of  fal- 
len angels  who  had  possession  of  that  poor  de- 
moniac among  the  tombs,  crying  and  cutting  him- 
self with  stones.     It  was  a  fallen  angel  who  tor- 


TO  REDEEM  MEN.  231 

men  ted  that  child  at  the  foot  of  the  mount  of 
transfiguration  ;  and  tJiey  were  fallen  angels  who 
be^Gfed  to  be  sent  into  the  swine. 

DO 

We  see  in  this  world  enough  of  degradation 
made  by  sin  to  keep  us  from  doubting  the  power 
of  sin  to  degrade  fallen  angels  into  devils,  and 
devils  into  alliance  with  swine.  But  the  mem- 
ory of  innocence  and  of  bliss  in  heaven  no  doubt 
remains  in  them.  Whftt  a  good  Avork  it  would 
have  been  to  redeem  that  memory  and  restore 
that  angel.  How  sad,  one  might  say,  to  think 
thait  Christ  would  not  redeem  him,  but  went  af- 
ter South  Sea  Islanders  and  the  Aborigines  of  the 
British  Isles,  than  whom  none  was  ever  more 
lost  to  shame,  or  more  distant  from  God.  And 
what  a  wicked  Avorld  this,  which  He  redeemed, 
has  proved.  How  hard  to  bring  any  portion  of 
it  right  and  to  keep  it  so.  In  countries  where 
the  Gospel  has  had  influence  for  generations, 
scenes  are  enacted  which  equal  the  deeds  of  bar- 
barous tribes.  After  a  long  conflict  between 
good  and  evil  in  this  world,  the  end  will  be  that 
the  earth  and  the  works  that  are  therein  shall  be 
burned  up.  Thus  far  the  few  are  saved;  the 
many  hate  God. 

n.  But  in  reply  it  may  be  said.  His  suc- 
cess    MIGHT     HAVE     BEEN     NO     BETTER     HAD 

Christ  made  redemption  for  angels  in- 
stead OF  FOR  MEN. 


232  ON  PASSING  BY  ANGELS 

Suppose  that  Christ  had  become  angelic  in- 
stead of  becoming  flesh,  taking  the  nature  of  an- 
gels instead  of  ours,  and  in  their  abode  had  lifted 
up  His  voice,  "  Repent  ye  and  believe  the  Gos- 
pel ;"  "  Behold  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock ;  " 
"  Come  unto  Me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy 
laden  and  I  will  give  you  rest."  "The  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  is  upon  me,  to  open  the  prison  doors,  to 
set  at  liberty  tliem  that  Hre.  bound;  "  and  then 
that  He  had  suffered  an  ignominious  punishment 
there  as  He  did  here,  stooping  as  low  in  sluwne 
as  on  Calvary,  bearing  some  awful  emblem  of 
woe  as  He  bore  the  cross ;  and  thus,  making 
atonement  for  angels,  had  pointed  them  to 
heaven  through  His  sufferings  for  them  ;  would 
they  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  on  the  hope 
set  before  them  ?  would  there  have  been  a  for- 
mer occupant  of  a  throne  in  heaven  but  would 
have  believed  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  been 
saved  ? 

While  we  cannot  settle  this  question,  it  may 
be  well  to  ask,  What  has  His  success  been  with 
men  who  have  actually  been  slipping  on 
the  brink  of  perdition  ?  How  has  it  been  in 
our  congregations  ?  Are  there  any  among  your 
acquaintances  who  have  been  brought  near  to 
death  and  who  in  their  own  just  apprehension 
would  have  perished  had  they  died,  but  are  now 
as  careless  as  ever,  as  far  from  God,  as  ignorant 


TO  REDEEM  MEN.  233 

of  Christ?  Wliat  would  keep  fallen  angels  from 
saying  in  answer  to  kind  and  earnest  appeals, 
"  I  know  all  this,  but  I  do  not  feel  it ;  how  am  I  to 
believe  in  Christ;  how  can  I  love  Him;  liow 
can  I  love  God,  with  such  a  heart  as  mine  ?  "  and 
would  they  not  say  this  up  to  the  last  moment 
of  probation,  as  members  of  Christian  congrega- 
tions do  when  they  come  to  their  end  ? 

Angels  might  have  invented  objections  to  Him 
as  men  did ;  some  might  go  so  far  as  to  deny 
His  Godhead  and  incarnation,  and  ask  whether 
a  good  God  would  let  His  innocent  Son  visit 
such  an  abode,  to  suffer  and  die  for  devils ;  and 
what  virtue  there  could  be  in  the  sufferings  of 
one  for  the  sins  of  others  ;  and  whether  it  is  just 
to  substitute  an  innocent  being  for  the  guilty? 
If  any  one  supposes  that  every  fallen  angel 
would  at  once  have  accepted  the  offers  of  Christ 
and  would  have  returned  to  his  allegiance  with 
godly  sorrow  and  repentance,  it  may  be  asked 
why  men  in  full  view  of  perdition  refuse  to  ac- 
cept pardon  by  Christ?  Does  any  one  say.  The 
experience  of  the  infernal  prison  and  the  pros- 
pect of  returning  to  heaven  would  prevail  where 
all  other  reasons  might  have  been  fruitless? 
Being  in  the  prison  would  not  of  itself  change 
the  feelings  of  the  sinner  toward  God.  Some 
might  think  it  would.  But  a  feeling  of  degra- 
dation  and  humiliation,  of  having  been  a  coii- 


234  ON   PASSING  BY  ANGELS 

vict,  of  going  back  to  the  old  service  and  scenes 
with  the  recollection  of  apostasy  is  no  prepara- 
tion to  accept  forgiveness. 

We  are  inclined  to  think  that  if  rational  crea- 
tures called  to  repentance  are  treated  as  free 
agents,  they  stand  a  better  chance  to  accept  for- 
giveness and  the  offer  of  restoration  in  such  a 
world  as  this,  than  in  a  place  where  they  have 
been  subjected  to  ignominious  torture.  In  this 
world,  no  distinction  is  made  by  the  common 
providence  of  God  between  the  evil  and  the 
good;  but  the  same  sun  and  rain,  the  fruits  of 
the  earth  and  all  the  blessings  of  life  come  alike 
to  the  good  and  to  the  sinner.  Therefore,  however 
great  our  sins  against  God  may  be,  we  need  none 
of  us  feel  abandoned,  or  made  ignominious. 
We  cannot  conceive  of  more  favorable  circum- 
stances than  ours  for  accepting  the  offers  of  par- 
don ;  or  a  condition  less  likely  to  predispose  the 
mind  toward  accepting  them  than  the  loss  of 
heaven  would  be,  and  the  degradation  of  being 
thrust  down  to  hell. 

It  is  seriously  to  be  questioned  whether  fallen 
angels  ever  could  be  disposed  by  their  punish- 
ment to  love  God.  We  will  not  argue  the 
point,  for  it  is  not  debatable.  They  never  will, 
and  whether  they  ever  would  requires  more 
knowledge  than  we  possess  to  decide.  But,  per- 
haps it  may  be  said,  one  reason  why  Christ  did 


TO  REDEEM  MEN.  235 

not  take  upon  Him  the  nature  of  angels  to  re- 
deem them  is,  that  having  fallen  into  the  pit  they 
could  not  consistently  with  the  laws  of  their  na- 
ture be  recovered;  that  an  intelligent  being  sub- 
jected to  such  punishment  would  not  accept  any 
efforts  to  save  him,  or  if  saved,  that  his  recovery 
would  not  exalt  the  grace  of  God  so  much  as  the 
restoration  of  the  effeminate  races  of  men. 
"While  we  recognize  this  as  a  possible  second 
cause,  we  must  not  forget  that  the  power  and 
grace  of  God  could  overcome  all  such  second 
causes  ;  that  the  God  who  found  a  ransom  for 
man  could  find  a  way  of  redeeming  lost  angels; 
but  that  being  hopelessly  lost  the  sinning  angel 
is  given  over  to  the  direct  operation  of  natural 
laws ;  these  laws  being  such  as  are  now  de- 
scribed. While  God  is  not  hindered  by  natural 
laws  from  doing  His  pleasure.  He  does  not  vi- 
olate them  ;  but  He  can  find  a  way  to  maintain 
and  even  exalt  them  while  He  suspends  them  as 
to  the  sinner  himself;  which  we  see  was  done 
by  the  atonement.  So  we  see  this  world  won- 
derfully adjusted  as  a  probationary  state  ;  every- 
thing in  it  says,  "Be  ye  reconciled  to  God." 

Mercies  and  afflictions  come  hand  in  hand  to 
our  dwellings  and  our  hearts,  and  the  affliction 
seems  to  be  equally  our  friend  with  mercy ;  all 
things  being  arranged  to  spare  our  feelings  of 
pride  and  shame,  making  it  reputable  and  be- 


236  ON  PASSING  BY  ANGELS 

coming  to  be  a  Christian,  instead  of  its  being  like 
standing  in  the  stocks  or  coming  out  of  a  peni- 
tentiary, or  going  into  one  in  joining  the  Chris- 
tian church.  Without  making  any  statement 
which  would  properly  be  construed  as  limiting 
the  power  of  divine  grace,  we  are  justified  in 
saying  that  according  to  Llie  laws  which  govern 
free  agents,  it  was  a  more  hopeful  work  to  redeem 
man,  than  the  angels  who  kept  not  their  first 
estate. 

He  who  took  nob  on  Him  the  nature  of  angels 
has  not  met  with  these  results  which  reason 
would  have  predicted.  Jesus  Christ  has  not  won 
the  hearts  of  the  nations,  or  the  hearts  of  any 
one  of  them,  even  where  His  Gospel  is  perfectly 
understood.  He  knew  from  the  beginning  that 
it  would  be  so.  He  knew  it  when  He  was  about 
to  make  the  atonement.  It  is  a  sad  representa- 
tion for  us  to  say  that  He  will  finally  console 
Himself  by  declaring  that  on  the  whole  He  is 
glad  that  things  are  no  worse,  that  as  many  are 
saved  as  could  be  expected,  and  though  He  re- 
grets His  failure  to  save  all.  He  is  grateful  that 
so  many  have  accepted  His  offers. 

Christ  will  never  be  the  object  of  commisera- 
tion, of  sympathy  and  condolence.  "These 
\Aords  spake  Jesus  and  lifted  up  His  e3'es  to 
heaven  and  said.  Father,  the  hour  is  come ;  glo- 
rify   thy    Son,   that   thy   Son  also  may  glorify 


I 


TO  REDEEM  MEN.  237 

thee.  As  thou  hast  given  Him  power  over  all 
flesli  that  He  may  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as 
thou  hast  given  Him."  While  the  atonement  is 
sufficient  for  all,  and  all  a7:e  invited  to  avail  them- 
selves of  it,  there  is  a  certain  portion  of  the  race 
.for  whom  it  is  efficient  who  will  assuredly  be 
saved;  and  of  course  the  Saviour  liad  special  re- 
ference to  them  when  He  gave  Himself  a  ran- 
som for  all.  He  "  is  the  Saviour  of  all  men, 
specially  of  those  that  believe." 

We  cannot  find  fault  with  tliis  on  the  ground 
of  its  being  partial,  unless  we  begin  further  back 
and  impugn  the  justice  of  God  in  passing  by  fal- 
len angels  and  determining  to  provide  for  the 
salvation  of  men.  He  did  not  take  upon  Him- 
self the  nature  of  angels ;  He  might  have  done 
so ;  He  left  them  where  He  found  them,  where 
they  had  chosen  to  be.  He  finds  all  men  in  a 
state  of  ruin  ;  if  they  will  acknowledge  it  and 
avail  themselves  of  His  interposition  in  their  be- 
half, they  may  be  saved ;  but  some  will  not  be- 
lieve, and  they  prefer  to  run  the  risk  and  take 
the  consequences.  It  is  optional  with  God  to 
let  them  all  perish,  or  interpose  and  make  some 
willing  to  believe.  He  does  no  injustice  to  any 
if  He  prevails  on  some  ;  none  can  find  fault  with 
God  for  leaving  them  to  have  their  own  way ; 
it  will  Avith  perfect  truth  be  said  to  every  one 
who  fails  to  be  saved,  "  Ye  would  not  come  to 


238  ON  PASSING  BY  ANGELS 

Me  tluat  ye  might  have  life."     Every  one  is  as 
religious  as,  on  the  whole,  he  wishes  to  be. 

It  is  the  great  mystery  of  wisdom  that  while 
God  does  His  pleasure,  it  is  in  such  a  way  that 
every  man  exercises  his  free  choice. 

III.  Those  who  do  not  accept  redemp- 
tion   PROVIDED    FOR    THEM    BY    THE  SON  OF 

God  are  to  be  associated  hereafter  with 
a  race  of   sinners  whom  Christ  did  not 

REDEEM. 

Nothing  surely  is  better  adapted  to  make  us 
accept  the  offers  of  the  Gospel ;  for  if  Christ 
passed  them  by  and  came  to  save  us,  no  fancy 
can  i)icture  what  it  must  be  to  receive  from  His 
lips  a  consignment  to  their  abode  and  to  their 
society.  It  is  well  known  on  the  authority  of 
the  early  Christian  writers  that  the  power  of  evil 
spirits  over  men  was  wonderfully  abridged  with 
the  coming  of  Christ.  He  told  the  seventy  whom 
He  sent  out,  when  they  returned  and  told  Him, 
"Lord,  even  the  devils  are  subject  unto  us 
through  thy  name,"  "  I  beheld  Satan  as  light- 
ning fall  from  heaven."  Their  power  contin- 
ued for  a  while  after  the  coming  of  Christ ;  as 
we  see  in  the  New  Testament,  where  we  learn 
their  awful  malice  and  also  their  power,  no 
doubt  that  we  may  be  warned  lest  we  fall  into 


TO  REDEEM  MEN.  239 

their  hands.  If  they  took  possession  of  a  human 
being,  a  legion  of  them  at  once,  they  must  be 
cruel  and  brutal ;  nor  can  fancy  picture  the  dire- 
ful miseries  of  the  poor  victims  who  fell  into 
their  hands. 

People  do  not  like  to  be  reminded  of  such  a 
fearful  liability;  but  if  too  pamful  to  be  re- 
fninded  of  it  in  a  world  of  mercy,  let  us  think 
what  it  must  be  to  have  the  last  sentence  upon 
all  who  did  not  love  Christ  sufficiently  to  give 
Him  common  hospitality.  "  I  was  an  hungered 
and  ye  gave  me  no  meat."  Then  mercy  will 
have  finished  all  her  invitations  and  returned  for- 
ever to  the  bosom  of  her  injured,  her  slighted 
God. 

IV.    The  subject   opens  to  us  a  view 

OF  HUMAN  happiness  FOR  ALL  WHO  ACCEPT 
OF   SALVATION. 

If  the  Redeemer  sought  the  greater  amount 
of  happiness  in  those  for  whom  He  decided  to 
make  atonement,  He  surely  will  find  it  in  us 
who  enter  heaven,  not  as  a  recovered  seat  from 
which  we  were  ignominiously  expelled,  but  a 
world  new,  untried,  awakening  in  us  sensations 
of  wonder  and  joy  which  now  it  doth  not  enter 
into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive.  There  will 
be  a  quality  in  our  joy  which  could  never  be 


240  ON  PASSING  BY  ANGELS 

known  to  those  who  fell  from  heaven.  And  shall 
we  lose  it  ?  Are  we  looking  diligently  lest  any 
man  fail  of  the  grace  of  God  ?  "  And  these  shall 
go  away  into  everlasting  punishment,  prepared" 
(not  for  them,  but)  "  for  the  devil  and  his  an- 
gels." 

God  exercises  the  same  sovereignty  now  in 
choosing  whom  to  save  which  He  did  in  choos- 
ing men  rather  than  angels.  There  is  often  a 
feeling  of  wonder  at  the  class  of  people  who 
are  called  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  at  the 
same  time  astonishment  at  the  omission  of 
many  whom  we  should  consider  an  acquisition, 
and  creditable  to  Him  who  saves  them.  Look- 
ing into  the  community  we  may  often  question 
why  certain  persons  of  remarkable  endowments 
are  not  brought  into  the  number  of  the  faithful, 
while  some  are  added  to  it  whom  we  never  would 
have  chosen.  So  in  the  Christian  church,  we  see 
some  who  we  cannot  doubt  are  regenerate  per- 
sons, but  it  requires  forbearance  and  Christian 
charity  to  regard  them  as  members  of  the  body 
of  Christ:  and  some  are  passed  by  whom  we 
would  choose  first  if  the  selection  had  been  con- 
fided to  our  judgment  and  taste.  We  forget 
that,  perhaps,  to  the  searcher  of  hearts  we  and 
those  interesting  people  give  more  occasion  for 
forbearance  than  those  who  repel  us.  But 
whether  it  be  so  or  not,  we  must  apply  our  text, 


TO  EEDEEM  MEN.  241 

and  remember  Him  wlio  "  took  not  on  Him  the 
nature  of  angels  but  the  seed  of  Abraham." 
The  wise,  the  mighty,  the  noble,  are  not  all  the 
subjects  of  the  divine  call ;  indeed  "  not  many  " 
of  them  are  so  distinguished ;  but  "  base  things, 
and  things  which  are  not  hath  God  chosen  to 
bring  to  nought  things  that  are,  that  no  flesh 
may  glory  in  His  presence.'-  Lady  Huntington 
said  that  she  thanked  God  for  the  letter  "  m," 
without  which  the  Scripture  must  have  read, 
"  iU)t  any  noble  are  called." 

It  will  exalt  the  grace  of  God  to  behold  high 
in  honor  and  power  hereafter,  some  whom  we 
thought  hardly  worth  saving  except  as  objects  of 
compassion,  and  however  much  joy  there  may 
have  been  among  the  angels  of  God  at  their  re- 
pentence,  it  made  little  sensation  here.  "And, 
behold,  there  are  last  that  shall  be  first."  Let  us 
take  heed  how  we  despise  one  of  these  little 
ones.  Find  a  soul  in  whom  there  are  Scriptural 
evidences  of  regeneration,  and  it  is  one  whom 
Almighty  God  has  quarried  and  hewn,  and  is 
preparing  for  some  honorable  place  in  His  build- 
ing which  that  soul  will  fill  with  a  most  remark- 
able adaptation.  As  the  stone  which  the  builders 
refused  is  become  the  head  of  the  corner,  so  will 
it  be  with  much  of  the  material  in  the  whole 
building.  And,  therefore,  if  we  are  highly  cul- 
tivated or  possess  great  natural  endowments,  it 


242  ON  PASSING  BY  ANGELS 

does  not  increase  our  prospect  of  being  saved  ; 
for  unless  we  are  humble  God  will  pass  us  by  ; 
"  for  verily  He  took  not  on  Him  the  nature  of 
angels."  "  He  will  beautify  the  meek  with  sal- 
vation." Perhaps  one  reason  why  angels  are 
forever  passed  b}^  while  to  the  poor  the  Gospel 
is  preached,  and  very  common  people  are  made 
kings  and  priests  unto  God,  is  to  show  all  the 
subjects  of  God's  government,  that  none  are  too 
high  for  God  to  reach  if  they  sin,  none  too  pre- 
cious for  Him  to  spare  if  they  keep  not  their  first 
estate. 

V.  There  are  limits  to  mercy  and  pro- 
bation. 

While  we  must  ascribe  this  wholly  to  the  sov- 
ereign pleasure  of  God,  we  perceive  that  apos- 
tacy  makes  recovery  in  the  Scriptural  sense  im- 
possible. "  It  is  impossible  for  those  who  were 
once  enlightened  and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly 
gift, — if  they  shall  fall  away  to  renew  them 
again  to  repentance."  Hence  apostate  angels 
were  less  likely  to  be  redeemed,  and  we  have 
seen  that  they  were  not  recovered.  Here  we 
have  an  argument  against  probation  after  death. 
If  Christ  fails  to  redeem  us  in  this  world,  the 
abandonment  of  fallen  angels  who  were  once  on 
probation    shows    us   the   probability    that    re- 


TO  EEDEEM  MEN.  243 

demption  with  us  will  cease  forever.  Consign- 
ment to  the  company  and  doom  of  those  who  fell 
from  heaven  confirms  this  anticipation.  Punish- 
ment is  not  the  power  of  God  and  the  wisdom 
of  God  unto  salvation.  Angels  have  not  been 
made  better  by  punishment.  They  have  sunk 
to  a  level  with  the  swine  among  the  Gadarenes. 
Christ  crucified  is  the  power  of  God  and  the 
wisdom  of  God.  "  Neither  is  there  salvation  in 
any  other." 

We  are  presekted  by  this  subject  with 
a  view  of   the  future  company  of   the 

GOOD. 

We  are  going  to  dwell  with  the  unf alien  sons 
of  God ;  — 

'•  And  heaven  He  gives  us  to  possess 
Whence  those  apostate  angels  fell." 

Only  two  orders  of  beings,  angels  and  men, 
are  represented  as  being  in  heaven.  This  world 
seems  unlikely  to  be  repaired,  at  least  for  our 
use ;  for  we  are  destined  for  the  metropolis, 
where  the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb  is.  "Fa- 
ther, I  will  that  they  whom  thou  hast  given  me 
be  with  me  where  I  am."  We  are  to  behold  His 
glory.  We  are  to  be  the  redeemed  whom  Christ 
came  to  save,  and  passed  by  the  former  occupants 


244  ON  PASSING  BY  ANGELS  TO  REDEEM  MEN. 

of  thrones  in  heaven.  You  will  instruct  the  un- 
fallen  sons  of  God  how  to  love  and  praise  Him 
who  created  them,  and  redeemed  us  to  vie  with 
them  in  service.  Then  do  not  fail  to  be  of  the 
number  of  the  redeemed.  Make  your  calling 
sure.  Think  what  it  must  ,be  to  spend  eternity 
with  those  who  lost  heaven  and  to  be  subjected 
to  their  taunts ! 

"Seize  the  kind  promise  while  it  waits, 
And  march  to  Ziori's  heavenly  gates, 
Believe,  and  take  the  promised  rest, 
Obey,  and  be  forever  blest." 


XIV. 

THE   BROKEN  IN    HEART  HEALED: 

THE  STARS  NUMBERED 

AND  NAMED. 

A  THANKSGIVING  DISCOURSE. 

"  He  healeth  the  broken  in  heart,  and  biudeth  up  their  wounds. 
He  telleth  the  number  of  the  stars;  he  calleth  them  all  by  their  names." 
—  Psalm  147  :  3>  4- 

WITH  New  England  people  the  histories  of 
the  Annual  Thansgiving  days  from  child- 
hood would  be  a  good  epitome  of  life.  No  recol- 
lections of  childhood  and  youth  are  more  vivid. 
The  weeks  of  vacation,  of  visits  paid  or  received, 
the  excursions  and  sports,  the  preparations  for  the 
feast  assailing  every  sense,  the  rich  joy  afforded  by 
being  sent  on  errands  of  love  to  the  needy, 
the  visits  to  the  market-places  where  nature 
seemed  to  have  brought  togetlier  her  stores 
as  though  for  some  great  sacrifice,  the  throng 
of  people  and  vehicle  in  the  streets,  show- 
ing that  some  great  movement  was   going  on, 

(245) 


246    THE  BROKEN  IN  HEART  HEALED: 

the  innocent  satisfaction  of  being  employed, — 

"  Something  between  a  hindrance  and  a  help," 
to  do  a  little  service  the  evening  before  the  im- 
portant day,  the  careful  observance  of  the 
weather  signs,  the  necessity  of  being  detained 
from  meeting  by  pressing  need  of  your  service  at 
home,  or  for  errands,  or  if  you  went  to  church, 
the  demonstration  in  the  singing  seats,  the  pleas- 
ures of  a  good  conscience  in  being  in  the  house 
of  God  and  not  at  the  games  on  the  Common, 
and  the  satisfaction  in  hearin^:  somethinGf  from 
the  pulpit  which  was  not  so  admonitory  as 
usual,  and  then  the  grand  climax  around  the 
table  where  feasting  and  merriment  were  suc- 
ceeded by  the  household  games  till  tired  nature 
welcomed  forgetfulness  in  sleep,  all  combined 
to  make  Thanksgiving  Day  to  many  of  you  as 
full  of  true  enjoyment  as  probably  any  festival 
of  any  kind,  in  any  nation,  in  any  age  of  the 
world. 

So  you  grew  up,  and  each  returning  Thanks- 
giving was  better  than  the  last,  and  was  height- 
ened by  the  return  of  one  and  another  who  had 
gone  out  from  the  homestead.  Then  the  little 
high  chairs,  long  disused  were  brought  down  from 
the  attic,  with  the  forgotten  cradle  for  one  who 
like  a  diamond  added  to  a  full  dress,  was  last,  and 
least,  and  best. 

We  loved  to  hear  the  minister  read   some  of 


THE  STAES  NUMBERED  AND  NAMED.  247 

those  five  or  six  concluding  Psalms,  in  which 
every  imaginary  thing  is  called  upon  to  praise 
God,  and  which  blazing  forth  with  joy  and 
thanksgiving,  seemed  like  the  last  piece  in  the 
exhibition  of  fireworks  on  the  other  great  festi- 
val of  the  year  when  the  heavens  were  ablaze 
with  the  closing  outburst  of  the  demonstration. 
Perhaps  never  in  childhood  and  youth  was  there 
more  enjoyment  crowded  into  the  same  space. 
And  so,  from  year  to  year,  the  keen  sense  of 
pleasure  grew  more  intense,  being  helped  by 
memory  and  anticipation. 

As  we  became  older  we  were  less  turbulent  in 
our  joy ;  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  life 
looked  in  upon  us,  one  by  one,  with  serious  face. 
Then  came  the  first  great  sorrow,  and  at  the  fes- 
tival there  was  a  vacant  chair,  and  you  began  to 
wonder  why  you  ever  thought  Thanksgiving 
Day  the  best  in  the  year. 

Some  of  the  family  were  far  off  and  could  not 
return ,  and  one  and  another  had  gone,  alas  !  for 
us,  where  thanksgiving  had  become  their  cease- 
less employment.  And  when  years  were  multi- 
plied the  festival  had  a  large  memorial  tablet 
with  inscriptions  of  lost  ones,  of  changes,  of 
sorrows,  the  recollection  of  all  which,  mixed 
with  natural  anticipations  of  thickening  troubles, 
made  Thanksgiving  season  a  time  of  deep  reli- 
gious thought,  never  more  profitable,  yet  clad  in 


248    THE  BEOKEN  IN  HEART  HEALED: 

russet  garb  instead  of  gay  colors.  At  the  same 
time,  probably  no  one  who  has  experienced  all  this 
and  has  made  right  improvement  under  it,  will 
fail  to  testify  that  such  sorrow  was  better  than 
laughter,  or  that  in  the  multitude  of  his  thoughts 
within  him,  there  are  consolations  and  comforts 
which  he  would  not  exchange  for  hilarity,  not 
even  for  the  innocent  pleasures  of  his  child- 
hood. 

Let  not  the  young  think  by  any  means  that 
Thanksgiving  Day  turns  into  a  day  of  mourning 
as  we  grow  old;  for  on  the  contrary,  it  may  be 
increasingly  a  day  of  deeper,  richer  joy.  We 
always  regret  to  have  the  season  of  blossoms 
end,  and  to  look  on  the  trees,  recently  laden  with 
beauty  and  fragrance,  of  a  sudden  changed  to 
a  sombre  state.  But  in  that  change.  Spring  has 
taken  an  exulting  step.  The  trees  are  more 
precious  than  under  their  flowery  crown. 

For,  as  we  advance  in  life,  we  have  an  accu- 
mulated debt  of  gratitude  for  the  past,  with  its 
ever  growing  experience  of  lovingkindness  and 
tender  mercy;  for  capacity  of  enjoyment,  for 
treasures  not  lost  but  laid  up  for  us;  for  in- 
creased qualification  to  do  good  and  to  make 
others  happy ;  nor  can  we  forget  the  goodness 
of  God  to  our  childhood ;  the  care  taken  of  us, 
the  friends  we  had,  and  special  favors  of  preser- 
vation and  blessing  when  we  were  heedless  and 


THE  STAKS  NVMBERED  AND  NAMED.  249 

unthankful.  So  that  when  the  moons  of  life 
wane  we  must  remember  that  they  are  hasten- 
ing to  new  moons,  and  that  to  them  who  fear 
God  it  will  be  so  without  end. 

It  will  be  safe  to  say,  that  amid  all  the  festiv- 
ity of  these  occasions,  the  most  enviable  happi- 
ness will  be  possessed  by  ^ome  who  are  reminded 
by  them,  of  the  various  dealings  of  God  with 
them  in  years  past.  Perhaps,  if  we  should  be 
called  upon  by  different  classes  to  hear  their 
reasons  for  thanksgiving,  none  would  be  urged 
more  earnestly  than  the  wonderful  ways  in  which 
the  God  of  all  comfort  who  comforteth  them  that 
are  cast  down,  has  comforted  many  who  were  in 
tribulation.  It  would  seem  to  us  among  the 
wonderful  things  of  God,  how  He  healeth  the 
broken  in  heart  and  bindeth  up  their  wounds. 

But  what  have  the  stars  to  do  with  the  broken 
in  heart,  or  comforts  with  the  number  and  names 
of  the  heavenly  bodies  ? 

There  is  a  remarkable  conjunction  of  ideas  in 
the  two  verses  in  the  text.  It  seems  a  very  sud- 
den, abrupt  transition  from  one  to  the  other, 
was  it  intended  to  be  so  ?  Or  was  there  an  as- 
sociation of  ideas  and  a  real  connection  between 
the  thought  of  divine  power  in  healing  broken 
hearts,  and  the  knowledge  and  ordering  of  the 
heavenly  bodies  ? 

Without  attempting  to  answer  this  assuredly, 


250   THE  BKOKEN  IN  HEART  HEALED: 

we  are  at  liberty  to  examine  whether  there  be 
any  connection  between  the  two  by  fair  inter- 
pretation. Can  we  pass  from  one  to  the  other 
by  any  perceived  analogies  ? 

How  may  it  be  made  apparent  that  it  is  the 
same  God  that  healeth  the  broken  in  heart  and 
bindeth  up  their  wounds,  who  telleth  the  num- 
ber of  the  stars  and  calleth  them  all  by  their 
names  ? 

I.  It  REQUIRES  THE  SAME  DIVINE  KNOWL- 
EDGE TO  HEAL  THE  BROKEN  IN  HEART,  AS  TO 
TELL  THE  NUMBER  OF  THE  STARS  AND  CALL 
THEM  BY  NAME. 

When  we  say  this,  we  speak  far  within  the 
truth. 

The  number  of  the  stars  is  to  the  divine  mind 
a  simple  matter  of  arithmetic,  however  compli- 
cated they  may  be  to  our  apprehension. 

They  stand  apparent  to  Him  whose  all  seeing 
eye  takes  them  in  at  one  view. 

But  before  we  proceed,  let  us  consider  what 
power  it  is  to  do  this.  For  although  to  the  unaided 
eye  there  are  not  more  than  six  thousand  heavenly 
bodies,  yet  science  discloses  a  multitude  in  the 
hosts  of  heaven  which  is  beyond  comprehension, 
and  even 'fancy  cannot  convey  any  adequate  idea 
of  them.     The  language  of  science  here  is  itself 


THE  STARS  NUMBERED   AND  NAMED.     251 

appalling.  For  when  we  see  the  expressions, 
thousands  of  millions  of  millions,  we  give  up  all 
attempt  at  grasping  the  sum.  We  should  not 
feel  it  if  the  astronomer  made  a  mistake  of  sev- 
eral millions.  So  when  Sir  William  Herschel 
tells  us  that  lie  has  penetrated  with  his  tele- 
scope seventy-five  million  times  further  than 
with  the  naked  eye,  and  can  see  stars  the  near- 
est of  v/hich  is  fifteen  billions  of  miles  from  us, 
thiit  is,  a  hundred  and  seventy  million  times  the 
distance  of  the  sun  from  the  earth,  and  that  the 
light  of  some  of  the  nearest  neighbors  to  that 
star,  traveling  one  hundred  and  ninety-two  thou- 
sand miles  a  second,  must  have  set  out  seven 
hundred  thousand  years  ago ;  that  in  a  portion 
of  the  Milky  Way,  not  larger  than  one  tenth  of 
the  moon's  disc,  he  computed  that  there  were 
twenty  thousand  stars,  and  that  by  the  most 
moderate  estimate  the  number  of  stars  in  the 
whole  firmament  reached  by  the  telescope  can- 
not be  less  than  one  hundred  millions,  and  that 
beyond  these  there  are  clusters  and  nebulse  which 
have  not  been  resolved,  and  that  each  of  the  fixed 
stars  which  can  be  seen  has  a  system  of  unseen 
worlds  revolving  about  it,  with  great  voids  be- 
tween them  to  keep  the  planets  from  disturbing 
each  other,  billions  of  miles  being  necessary  for 
this  purpose,  we  have  an  idea  of  creatorship,  and 
of  the  extent  of  the  universe,  and  of  divine  om- 


Ot  THB 


// 


252    THE  BROKEN  IN  HEART  HEALED: 

niscience  which,  as  David  sa3^s,  "  is  too  wonder- 
ful "  for  us  ;  it  is  "  high,"  we  "  cannot  attain  un- 
to it."  The  astronomers  themselves  feel  and 
confess  their  weakness.  They  wished  to  meas- 
ure the  space  through  which  one  of  those  distant 
heavenly  bodies  moved.  Could  they  ascertain 
this,  however  small  it  might  be,  they  could  cal- 
culate its  orbit,  size,  distance  and  rate  of  motion. 
They  took  for  a  base  line  the  distance  from 
Greenwich  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  drew 
imaginary  lines  from  the  extremities  of  that  base 
line  to  get  an  angle  ;  but  in  vain  ;  there  was  no 
angle  at  the  star,  and  the  star  did  not  seem  to 
move.  Their  base  line  therefore  proving  too 
short,  they  took  one  represented  by  the  diameter 
of  the  earth's  orbit,  that  is  measuring  from  the 
place  where  the  earth  is  on  the  first  of  January, 
to  where  it  is  on  the  first  of  July,  a  distance  of 
one  hundred  and  ninety  million  six  hundred 
thousand  miles.  Even  then  they  could  not  see 
an  appreciable  movement  in  that  most  remote 
orb. 

At  last,  in  1839,  two  astronomers  succeeded  in 
finding  a  movement  in  a  star,  but  it  was  only 
one  second  in  a  degree.  The  base  line  was  still 
too  short  for  more  distant  explorations. 

"  Is  there  any  number  of  his  armies  ?  and  on 
whom  doth  not  his  light  arise  ? "  How  can 
broken  hearts,  though  every  human  heart  were 


L 


THE  STARS  NUMBERED  AND  NAMED.     253 

broken,  find  any  representation  in  such  enor- 
mous measurements  as  these  ? 

The  answer  is  this :  The  God  who  can  span 
from  earth  to  the  remotest  world  and  then  sweep 
that  radius  through  all  space,  and  number  and 
name  those  heavenly  bodies,  can  easily  know  ev- 
ery earthly  mourner.  He  wJio  follows  that  swift 
traveler  in  the  heavens,  Arcturus,  with  his  fifty- 
four  miles  each  second,  or  three  times  faster  than 
our  earth,  knows  our  wanderings,  and  all  the 
succession  of  our  sorrows. 

There  may  not  have  been  more  broken  hearts 
than  there  are  stars;  yet  the  number  is  such 
that  none  but  the  power  which  numbers  the 
heavenly  bodies  can  comprehend  them.  But  in 
those  hearts  there  have  been  more  wounds  which 
needed  to  be  healed  than  there  are  stars.  It  is 
not  so  great  a  thing  to  number  the  stars  as  to 
search  the  hearts  and  try  the  reins  of  the  chil- 
dren of  men. 

IT.  The  same  divine  wisdom  which  ar- 
ranges THE  HEAVENS,  OVERRULES  OUR  INDI- 
VIDUAL AFFAIRS. 

We  may  be  tempted  to  think  that  there  is  no 
plan  or  reason  in  the  things  which  happen  to  us, 
for  they  sometimes  throw  us  into  confusion,  our 
desolation  is  apparently  wild  and  reckless.     But 


254   THE  BEOKEN  IN  HEAET  HEALED: 

it  is  easy  to  show  that  all  which  happens  to  us  is 
ordered  by  a  plan,  notwithstanding  the  seeming 
littleness  of  our  affairs  when  compared  with  the 
extent  of  the  universe  and  the  number  of  worlds. 
Indeed  the  astronomical  view  hither  tends  to  dis- 
hearten us  unless  we  call  in  the  aid  of  faith.  To 
help  our  faith,  look  at  the  minute  things  which 
God  has  made ;  we  see  in  them  the  same  God  at 
work  as  in  the  celestial  spheres.  The  micro- 
scope reveals  a  hidden  color  of  great  beauty  on  a 
beetle's  wing,  curious  form  and  order  on  the 
scale  of  a  fish,  prismatic  colors  on  a  particle  of 
dust,  architectural  design  in  the  tiniest  shell ; 
which  all  the  worlds  above  us  do  not  surpass  as 
products  of  divine  handicraft.  We  feel  the 
power  of  God  in  the  revelations  of  the  micro- 
scope as  much  as  in  those  of  the  telescope. 
Some  who  have  been  most  distinguished  in  the 
use  of  the  telescope  go  further,  and  say  that 
the  microscope  by  its  disclosures  has  affected 
them  more  than  has  the  telescope.  Perhaps  this 
was  the  effect  of  contrast,  but  surely  we  know  of 
nothing  in  God  which  affects  us  more  than  that 
the  High  and  Lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity 
and  who  dwells  in  the  high  and  holy  place  de- 
clares that  He  dwells  also  with  him  who  trembles 
at  His  word.  If  God  chooses  to  manifest  His 
glory  in  this  way,  surely  we  must  not  make  ob- 
jection.    We  must  not  say  to  our  Lord,  "  Thou 


THE  STAES  NUMBERED  AND  NAMED.  255 

slialt  never  wash  my  feet."  Especially  when 
Christ  Himself  teaches  us  that  not  a  sparrow 
falleth  to  the  ground  without  our  Father,  and 
that  the  very  hairs  of  our  head  are  all  numbered, 
we  must  not  hesitate  to  think  that  the  Creator 
of  the  worlds  is  to  each  of  us  the  God  of  provi- 
dence, that  He  "telleth"  our  "wanderings," 
puts  our  "  tears  into  "  His  "  bottle,"  and  that  they 
are  "  in  "  His  "  book."  So  that  each  one  may 
confidently  say,  "  When  my  spirit  was  over- 
whelmed within  me.  Thou  knewest  my  path." 
Nor  can  we  refuse  to  believe  in  the  perfect 
knowledge  and  watchful  providence  of  God  in 
our  affairs  when  we  read,  "  For  there  is  not  a 
Avord  in  my  tongue,  but  lo  !  O  Lord  thou  know- 
est  it  altogether."  "  Thou  understandest  my 
thoughts  afar  off." 

The  God  who  comprehends  the  spaces  of  the 
universe  and  peoples  them,  is  not  only  able  to  com- 
prehend us,  but  He  who  has  made  order  His  first 
law  among  the  spheres,  has  reduced  every  thing 
relating  to  us  into  a  wise  arrangement  in  which 
there  is  nothing  confused.  We  may  therefore 
feel  assured  that  Ho  who  has  made  of  this  seem- 
ing infinitude  of  worlds  one  great  system,  and 
creates  every  atom  by  a  perfect  pattern  and  in 
reference  to  a  general  design,  has  also  a  wise  pur- 
pose in  breaking  and  binding  up  our  hearts. 

Probably  that  which  will  most  affect  us  here- 


256   THE  BROKEN  IN  HEAKT  HEALED: 

after  with  a  sense  of  divine  wisdom  and  power 
as  well  as  goodness,  will  be  our  personal  history. 
We  shall  be  better  acquainted  with  this  than 
with  any  thing  else.  We  shall  be  able  to  judge 
concerning  this  better  than  with  things  foreign 
to  us,  and  perhaps  this  will  be  our  chief  wonder, 
that  the  God  who  made  Arcturus,  Orion,  Pleia- 
des, and  the  chambers  of  the  South,  did  actually 
consult  for  each  of  us ;  that  He  who  sends  the 
comet  on  his  errands  round  this  measureless 
space  and  secures  its  return  at  the  appointed  min- 
ute did  watch  over  the  heedless  steps  of  your 
childhood,  and  that  He  who  maketh  peace  in  his 
high  places,  so  that  these  worlds,  many  of  them 
crossing  each  other's  track,  do  not  interfere,  has 
made  your  orbit,  and  had  regard  to  all  its  dan- 
gerous exposures,  and  brought  you  safely  on 
your  way,  while  not  for  one  moment  you  had  an 
absolute  control  of  yourself,  or  defence  against 
destruction. 

We  shall  see  that  stupendous  as  the  universe 
is  in  its  plan,  the  history  of  our  redemption  up 
to  the  hour  when  you  will  be  presented  faultless 
before  the  presence  of  His  glory  with  exceeding 
joy,  involves  more  that  is  astonishing  than  the 
stars,  and  that  He  who  is  ^'  the  brightness  of  the 
Father's  glory,"  and  is  now  "upholding  all 
things  by  the  word  of  His  power,"  by  Himself 
purged  your  sins,  and  then,  and  not  till  then  as 


THE  STARS  NUMBERED  AND  NAMED.  257 

God  and  man,  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  the 
majesty  on  high,  thus  dechiring  human  redemp- 
tion to  be  the  chief  of  all  His  works. 

Let  every  one,  therefore,  who  has  been  called 
to  great  sorrow,  rejoice  that  God  has  been  occu- 
pied with  his  afPiiirs  even  though  it  be  by  afflic- 
tion. For  in  the  creation  of  worlds,  no  doubt 
there  is  great  confusion  at  first.  "  The  earth  w^as 
without  form  and  void  and  darkness  was  upon 
the  face  of  tlie  deep,"  and  a  spectator  might 
have  tliought  that  annihilation  was  coming 
sooner  than  order  and  beauty. 

We  feel  that  our  losses  and  sorrows  will  de- 
stroy us ;  but  not  so  if  we  love  God.  We  are 
"  of  more  value"  not  only  than  "  many  sparrows," 
but  many  worlds.  Indeed  those  billions  of  fixed 
stars  with  all  their  planets  considered  as  mere 
matter,  are  not  worth  your  soul.  They  cannot 
love  God,  nor  can  they  glorify  Him  as  much  as 
your. redemption  and  salvation.  Were  the  ques- 
tion to  arise  whether  to  save  you  all  those 
orbs  shall  perish,  the  answer  has  already  been 
given,  m  that  He  who  made  them  has  given 
Himself  for  you,  and  "  He  that  spared  not  His 
own  Son,  but  delivered  Him  up  for  us  all, 
how  shall  He  not  with  Him  also  freely  give  us 
all  things?"  "He  that  built  the  house  hath 
more  honor  than  the  house ; "  therefore,  if  the 
Maker   of  suns   and  planets   gave    Himself  for 


258    THE  BEOKEN  IN  HEART  HEALED: 

your  sins,  if  you,  every  time  you  pray,  make 
mention  of  a  sacrifice  for  your  soul  more  costly 
than  all  this  astronom}^,  do  not  think  that  when 
it  is  said  that  He  who  binds  up  broken  liearts 
numbers  the  stars  and  calls  them  all  by  their 
names,  there  is  any  exaggeration.  If  there  be 
exaggeration  it  is  on  the  other  side,  in  compar- 
ing the  material  universe  with  your  incompara- 
ble being,  as  a  son,  an  heir,  of  God,  a  joint  heir 
Avith  Christ. 

When  we  travel  throughout  this  great  ex- 
panse of  suns  and  planets,  wearing,  each  of  us, 
a  glorified  body  like  unto  the  Son  of  God,  we 
shall  perhaps  find  that  to  be  a  member  of  the 
human  family  redeemed  by  Christ,  "which  is 
tlie  head  of  all  principality  and  power,  is  the 
chief  distinction  among  the  creatures  of  God. 

Reflect  on  the  wisdom  and  power  of  the  Most 
High  in  the  waj^s  by  which  He  has  comforted 
you.  He  has  compensated  you  for  losses,  or 
made  them  the  means  of  good  which  is  worth 
all  it  cost.  He  has  shed  abroad  in  your  heart  a 
peace  wliich  passe th  all  understanding.  He  has 
made  some  of  your  sorrows  like  a  discovered 
star,  a  centre  to  some  system  of  truth,  or  new 
order  of  things  in  your  life  revolving  around 
that  affliction.  None  but  God  could  do  this, 
"  who  turneth  the  shadow  of  death  into  the 
morning,"    who  giveth  "  joy  for  mourning  and 


THE  STARS  NUMBERED  AND  NAMED.  259 

the  garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of  heavi- 
ness." 

The  more  we  reflect  upon  it  the  less  shall  we 
be  surprised  at  the  connection  of  these  two 
verses  seemingly  so  unlike.  For  the  God  who 
may  have  sowed  the  year  for  you  with  sorrow, 
is  the  God  who  planted  the  heavens  with  those 
heavenly  bodies  which  make  up  the  several  con- 
stellations, all  having  a  plan  and  order,  as  in  the 
purpose  of  God  your  trials  have,  which  at  last 
will  evolve  themselves  into  a  cluster  to  the  praise 
of  Him  who  holds  the  seven  stars  in  His  right 
hand. 

It  is  better  to  have  hearts  broken,  and  to  have 
God  heal  them  than  that  they  should  not  have  been 
broken,  better  to  be  wounded  and  have  God  bind 
us  up,  than  not  to  have  been  wounded.  Look- 
ing back  upon  our  troubles  and  seeing  how  they 
helped  us  on  to  heaven,  and  finding  again,  as 
many  will,  all  whom  they  lost  for  a  season,  we 
shall  say  that  if  there  be  one  cause  of  thanks- 
giving above  another  in  our  personal  experience, 
it  is,  that  a  faithful  God  broke  our  hearts  to  heal 
them  ;  wounded  us,  to  bind  us  up. 

But,  if  we  have  not  been  afflicted,  can  we  on 
such  an  occasion  as  this ;  can  we,  in  view  of  un- 
mingled  happiness  in  the  past,  derive  instruc- 
tion and  comfort  from  this  theme  ? 

Yes,  for  if  you  love  God,  losing  these  bless- 
ings will  work  for  your  good. 


260    THE  BROKEN  IN  HEAET  HEALED: 

We  are  sometimes  made  to  sigh  even  when 
we  are  merrj.  "  Surely  in  laughter  the  heart  is 
sad."  On  every  annual  festival  we  involuntarily 
repeat,  What  changes  another  year  may  bring  ! 
But  they  who  love  God  are  sure  that  nothing 
will  happen  to  them  by  His  appointment  which 
will  not  be  for  the  purpose  of  enlarging  the 
sphere  of  their  spiritual  vision.  Christian  peace 
and  joy,  therefore,  are  well  founded ;  they  are 
rational.  It  is  not  fanciful  to  suggest  that  every 
miraculous  gift  bestowed  on  the  apostles  has  a 
spiritual  counterpart  in  the  experience  of  all 
who  are  born  of  the  Spirit. 

Our  Saviour,  speaking  of  His  own  marvellous 
works,  says  to  the  apostles,  "  And  greater  works 
than  these  shall  je  do,  because  I  go  to  my  Fa- 
ther." 

That  we  do  not  err  in  supposing  that  there  is 
a  designed  connection  between  these  two  pas- 
sages, and  that  the  contemplation  of  the  heavens 
is  here  designed  to  illustrate  the  wisdom  and 
power  of  God  in  His  treatment  of  the  afflicted 
whom  He  loves,  we  have  onlj-  to  recall  the  fol- 
lowing words  :  "  Lift  up  your  eyes  on  high," 
says  the  Great  God,  "  behold,  who  hath  created 
these  things?  that  bringeth  out  their  hosts  by 
number ;  He  calleth  them  all  by  their  names 
by  the  greatness  of  His  might,  for  that  He  is 
strong  in  power,  not  one  faileth.     Why  say  est 


THE  STARS  NUMBERED  AND  NAMED.  261 

thon,  O  Jacob,  and  speakest,  O  Israel,  my  way 
is  hid  from  the  Lord,  and  my  judgment  is  pas- 
sed over  from  my  God  ?  Hast  thou  not  known, 
hast  thou  not  heard  that  the  everlasting  God, 
the  Lord,  the  Creator  of  the  ends  of  the  earth, 
fainted  not  neither  is  weary?  There  is  no 
searching  of  His  understanding.  He  giveth 
power  to  the  faint ;  and  to  them  that  have  no 
might  He  increaseth  strength." 


XV. 

TEE  REMOVAL    OF  ISRAEL'S  CLOUD 
TO  THE  REAR. 

"And  the  angel  of  God,  which  went  before  the  camp  of  Israel,  removed 
and  went  behind  them ;  and  the  pillar  of  the  cloud  went  from  before  their 
face,  and  stood  behind  them."  —  Exodus  14 :   19. 

ON  the  border  of  the  Red  sea  the  children  of 
Israel  lifted  up  their  eyes,  and  behold  the 
Egyptians  marched  after  thgm,  and  they  were 
sore  afraid.  Six  hundred  chosen  chariots  were 
there  and  with  them  all  the  cliariots  of  Egypt, 
and  captains  over  every  one  of  them.  Destruc- 
tion seemed  sure.  The  Israelites  were  an  un- 
disciplined host ;  their  wives  and  children  were 
mingled  with  them ;  no  munitions  of  war ;  a 
desert  on  either  side  ;  the  Red  sea  in  front ;  all 
Egypt  in  pursuit  infuriated  by  the  plagues  which 
the  God  of  these  Hebrews  had  sent  upon  them. 
The  faith  of  Israel  gave  way  to  despair.  They 
said  to  Moses,  "  Because  there  were  no  graves 
in  Egypt  hast  thou  taken  us  away  to  die  in  the 
wilderness?  Is  not  this  the  word  that  we  did 
tell  thee  in  Egypt,  saying,  Let  us  alone  that  we 
may  serve  the  Egyptians?  For  it  had  been  bet- 
(262) 


THE  REMOVAL  OF  ISRAEL'S  CLOUD.       263 

ter  for  us  to  serve  the  Egj^ptians  than  tljat  we 
should  die  in  the  wilderness."  Little  did  they 
dream,  however,  that  they  were  brought  there  to 
be  a  spectacle  to  the  world  through  all  ages ; 
they  did  not  remember  that  man's  extremity  is 
God's  opportunity. 

The  pillar  of  cloud  which  had  been  to  them  a 
pioneer  in  the  desert  now  began  to  countermarch, 
and  took  its  position  at  tke  entrance  of  the  camp. 
D;irk  as  a  rising  storm  to  the  Egyptians  the 
cloud  shed  light  upon  Israel,  "So  that  the  one 
came  not  near  to  tlie  other. all  night."  The 
leader  of  Israel,  by  divine  command,  stretched  his 
hand  over  the  sea  and  straightway  the  waters 
saw  it  and  fled  ;  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  which  for 
ages  had  not  seen  the  light,  became  a  floor  for 
their  feet,  a  solid  road  for  their  beasts  of  burden ; 
the  waters  stood  up  like  a  heap  on  either  hand. 
"  They  went  through  the  flood  on  foot,  there  did 
they  rejoice  in  Him."  But  as  much  as  they  en- 
joyed the  wall  of  waters  on  either  hand  and  the 
marvellous  faith  which  gave  them  firm  foot- 
hold over  the  bottom  of  the  deep,  they  were 
ever  thinking  of  the  whole  military  force  of  Egypt 
in  their  rear.  What  if  they  should  be  suddenly 
overwhelmed  by  horses  and  chariots?  These 
walls  of  water  hemmed  them  in  ;  flight  was  im- 
possible. Has  God  dried  up  the  sea  to  make  a 
grave  for  Israel  ?     With  an  eye  of  faith  one  and 


264  THE  REMOVAL  OF 

another  looked  beliind  to  tlie  pillar  of  fire  which 
had  now  planted  itself  in  their  rear.  God  was 
there,  the  angel  Jehovah  who  smote  Egypt  in 
their  first-born,  whose  mercy  endureth  forever. 
While  before  them  the  light  from  the  clond 
reached  to  the  further  shore,  the  cloud  itself 
formed  an  impenetrable  veil  between  Israel  and 
the  pursuers :  no  sight  of  horses  and  chariots  af- 
frighted them  any  more';  they  saw  their  ene- 
mies only  when  the  returning  waters  washed 
their  dead  bodies  to  the  shore. 

All  this  was  effected  by  the  removal  of  the 
pillar  of  cloud  from  before  them  to  a  position  in 
their  rear,  mercifull}^  bringing  darkness  between 
them  and  their  enemies.  The  veil  hung  down 
to  keep  the  pursued  from  seeing  the  pursuers, 
while  it  hid  them  from  their  enemies. 

Some  of  the  painters,  and  an  artist  in  the 
mother  country  who  has  illustrated  the  "  Pil- 
grim's Progress,"  have  had  wonderful  skill  in 
throwing  light  forward  and  making  darkness  be- 
hind it.  .But  no  pencil  is  like  the  hand  of  Him 
who  at  creation  divided  the  lic^ht  from  the  dark- 
ness  ;  which  He  did  here,  making  the  past  dark 
and  the  onward  way  bright.  He  can  let  down 
a  veil  from  heaven  to  earth,  and  on  one  side  of 
it  there  shall  be  darkness  which  can  be  felt,  and 
on  the  other  side  light. 

Though  Israel  had  seen  the  power  of  God  in 


Israel's  cloud  to  the  eear.        265 

the  plagues  of  Egypt,  we  doubt  if  any  one  or 
all  of  those  plagues  affecte  1  them  as  did  the  re- 
moval of  that  pillared  cloud  from  their  front  to 
their  rear  at  this  crisis  in  their  history,  closing 
up  to  their  eyes  the  terrifying  sight  of  their  ene- 
mies, and  to  the  enemies  all  sight  of  their  help- 
less victims. 

This  passage  leads  me  to  speak  of  God  our 
Rearward.  It  is  God  alone  who  can  make 
the  past  a  source  of  peace  and  comfort.  We 
think  much  of  the  future  ;  we  desire  greatly  to 
have  an  assurance  that  all  will  be  well  with  u^ 
in  time  to  come.  But  do  we  sufficiently  reflect 
how  much  this* depends  on  liaving  the  past  mer- 
cifully considered  by  our  Almighty  Friend? 
We  accept  with  gratitude  the  promise,  "  The 
Lord  shall  go  before  thee ; "  but  do  we  fully 
consider  how  important  the  concluding  part  of 
that  passage  is  :  —  "  and  be  thy  rearward  ?  " 

Never,  in  any  stage  of  their  history,  did  Israel 
need  God  to  go  before  them  more  than  when 
with  the  Red  Sea  in  front  and  Pharaoh  pursuing 
them,  they  needed  that  God  should  be  their 
rearward.  Our  happiness  depends  much  at 
times  on  having  the  angel  of  God  *'  which  went 
before  "  us  seem  to  remove  and  stand  behind  us. 
For 

I.    We  often  need   to    ije   deeply   im- 


266  THE  EEMOVAL  OF 

PRESSED   WITH    THE    MEMORY    OF    PAST  BLES- 
SINGS. 

Perhaps  at  the  present  time,  we  have,  and  in 
coming  days  shall  have,  occasion  to  recall  the 
interposition  of  God  in  our  past  history.  There 
will  be  times  when  we  shall  only  need  that  God 
should  do  for  us  according  to  His  past  mercies 
to  make  us  perfectly  happy;  times  when  we 
shall  say,  "  Lord,  where  are  Thy  former  loving- 
kindnesses  which  Thou  swaresfc  unto  David  in 
Thy  truth?" 

The  burden  of  many  a  prayer  will  be,  "  O 
continue  Thy  loving-kindness  unto  them  that 
know  Thee."  Time  after  time  it  will  be  the 
richest  comfort  in  trial,  to  recall  the  favors  which 
God  did  for  us  in  days  gone  by  ;  "  I  was  brought 
low  and  He  helped  me,"  will  be  the  all-power- 
ful rebuke  to  every  fear.  We  are  brought  into 
straits  oftentimes  merely  for  God  to  show  His 
power,  or  His  wisdom,  or  His  surprising  good- 
ness; and  therefore  it  is  wise  at  such  times,  in- 
stead of  murmuring,  to  think  of  past  experience, 
saying,  "  How  can  the  God  who  did  such  won- 
derful things  for  me,  fail  me  now  ?  " 

The  136th  Psalm. has  twenty-six  Verses,  each 
of  whicli  ends  with  this:  "For  His  mercy  en- 
duretli  forever."  We  feel  ashamed  when  we 
read  how  Israel  said,  "Can  God  furnish  a  table 


Israel's  cloud  to  the  rear.        267 

in  the  wilderness?  Behold  He  smote  the  rock 
that  the  waters  gushed  out,  and  the  streams  over- 
flowed ;  can  He  give  bread  also  ?  Can  He  pro- 
vide flesh  for  His  people  ?  "  We  acquiesce  in 
the  punishment  which  followed,-  and  then,  per- 
haps, we  sin  in  like  manner.  O  that  the  cloud 
would  go  behind  us  now  and  then',  to  keep  us 
from  foro^ettiuijr  all  His  benefits.  The  remem- 
brance  of  the  past  is  sometimes  as  good  as  new 
mercies.  We  need  and  still  shall  need  to  be  im- 
pressed with  the  memory  of  past  blessings. 

II.  We  need  the  pillar  of  cloud  be- 
hind us  FOR  OUR  protection  FROM  THE 
EVIL  CONSEQUENCES   OF  THE    PAST. 

It  availed  nothing  to  Israel  that  God  had 
brought  them  out  of  Egypt  with  a  stretched  out 
arm,  if  they  were  now  to  fall  a  prey  before  tlie 
pursuing  army  of  Pharaoh.  So  they  cried  out, 
"  It  had  been  better  for  us  to  serve  the  Egyp- 
tians than  that  we  should  die  in  the  wilderness." 
Then  the  cloud  rose  and  went  behind  them  to 
intercept  any  evil  consequences  of  their  flight 
from  Egypt.  Thus  we  shall  need,  in  future, 
protection  from  the  mistakes,  follies,  sins  of  the 
past.  We  may  have  already  erred,  and  the  con- 
sequences, if  not  arrested,  may  be  a  Pharaoh 
and   his  host.     Therefore,  let   the  angel  of  the 


268  THE  eemjVal  of 

covenant  go  behind  us,  and  let  the  fiery  pillar 
stand  tliere,  to  prevent  us  from  direful  memor- 
ies. For  it  is  safe  to  say  that  a  large  part  of 
liuman  misery  arises  from  regretful  recollections. 

We  would  gladl}?-  atone  for  hasty  words  and 
rasli  actions  ;  'but  perhaps  the  wish  is  vain.  We 
omitted  some  duty  and  we  feel  the  effects^ 
We  took  a  wrong  step,  and  it  led  into  snares.  We 
gave  occasion  for  hatred,  perhaps  lasting  en- 
mity. What  would  we  not  give  if  we  could  for- 
get some  uni:)leasant  passage  in  our  behavior! 
Must  we  go  through  life  with  a  Pharaoh  and  his 
chariots  and  their  captains  behind  us  ?  We  feel 
it  were  better  for  us  to  die  than  to  live.  But  we 
should  gain  nothing  by  dying ;  we  should  re- 
trieve nothing,  unless  we  should  sleep  in  Jesus, 
and  be  at  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ.  "  Son  I  remember  "  this.  For  other- 
wise there  would  be  added  to  these  dreadful  recol- 
lections which  we  invoke  the  grave  to  bury,  ten- 
fold more  which  a  quickened  memory  would 
bring  to  mind,  enmities,  sense  of  loss,  partings 
with  loved  ones,  indented  in  our  memories.  It 
is  better  to  live  and  make  memory  our  friend 
through  the  blood  of  Jesus. 

There  are  also  remembered  joys,  and  it  is  the  na- 
ture of  memory  to  make  remembered  joys  the 
source  of  sadness  unless  faitli  in  Jesus  and  hope 
through  grace  be  in  active  exercise.     Worse  than 


ISRAEL'S  CLOUD  TO  THE  REAR.  269 

all  there  is  the  recollection  of  our  sins.  With  the 
memory  of  them  there  mingles  self-reproach  per- 
haps, exceeding  everything  else  in  our  recollec- 
tion of  them.  Better  for  us  always  if  we  could 
then  say,  "  Against  Thee,  Thee  only  have  I  sin- 
ned and  done  this  evil  in  Thy  sight."  Better 
for  us  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  God  with  sor- 
row for  sin.  For  God  can  forgive  us,  and  does 
forgive  us  many  a  time  when  we  do  not  forgive 
ourselves ;  our  pride  is  wounded,  we  see  we 
are  not  humbled,  when  we  are  unwilling  to  be 
forgiven.  God  can  confer  no  greater  favor  upon 
us  in  the  way  of  making  us  happy,  than  by 
standing  behind  us  with  the  tokens  of  forgive- 
ness, declaring  His  righteousness  for  the  re- 
mission of  the  sins  that  are  past,  through  the 
forbearance  of  God.  Were  we  only  as  just  in 
our  intercourse  with  God  as  we  are  with  men, 
in  one  respect,  it  would  be  for  our  comfort. 
For  are  we  not  uneasy  w^hen  a  man  has  inadver- 
tently paid  his  bill  the  second  tinie  ?  Do  we  not 
make  haste  and  send  him  word  that  the  account 
was  settled  once  ?  We  are  not  willing  to  sleep  till 
we  have  returned  the  money  ;  we  cannot  endure 
to  be  twice  paid.  God  may  be  said  to  have  such 
feelings  toward  us ;  in  proof  of  which  hear  these 
words:  '*If  we  confess  our  sins.  He  is  fiiithful 
and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse 
us  from  all  unrighteousness ;  "  —  "  faithful  and 


270  THE  REMOVAL  OF 

just," — implying  that  there  would  be  injustice  in 
His  exacting  any  thing  of  one  who  lias  accepted 
the  atonement,  pleaded  the  substitution  which 
has  been  made.  It  is  wonderful  that  we  may 
say  this ;  but  "  having  boldness  by  the  blood  of 
Jesus  "  we  may. 

Some  will  inquire  "  Is  it  not  presumption  in 
3^ou  to  say  that  ?  Do  you  think  that  confessing 
our  sins  lays  God  under  obligation?"  I  reply, 
He  la3^s  Himself  under  obligation ;  I  fear  that 
3^ou  are  timid,  unwilling  to  take  God  at  His 
word. 

There  would  be  a  scriptural  hope  of  accept- 
ance with  God  in  many,  if  they  would  believe 
this  simple  trxith,  that  confession  of  sin  and  ac- 
ceptance of  offered  pardon  through  Christ  saves 
the  soul  at  once  and  forever.  Divine  justice 
will  not  suffer  itself  to  be  paid  twice  for  sin. 
The  reason  is,  Christ  died  for  us;  and  "in  than 
He  died,  he  died  unto  sin  once."  Some  think 
that  they  cannot  have  the  pleasure  of  repentance 
if  they  are  forgiven.  Let  them  know  that  they 
do  not  repent  at  all  till  they  are  forgiven.  "R3- 
turn  unto  Me  for  I  have  redeemed  Thee.'' — Jer- 
emiah 44  :  22.  Repentance  after  pardon,  is  not 
only  proper;  but  there  is  no  repentance  so  deep 
as  that  which  comes  witli  a  sense  of  forgiveness. 
We  see  this  in  a  child  to  whom  we  sa}^,  1  for- 
give you.     How  the  little  heart  breaks,  how  the 


ISRAELS  CLOUD  TO  THE  REAR.  271 

tears  flow,  how  passionately  the  arms  enfold 
your  neck.  So  through  the  Christian  life.  We 
all  testify  that  we  never  have  felt  such  sorrow 
for  sin  as  when  at  the  foot  of  the  cross  we  em- 
brace the  feet  which  were  nailed  there  for  our 
sins.  Rowland  Hill  said,  "If  when  I  lay  down 
my  pilgrim  staff  at  the  gate  of  heaven  I  should 
drop  a  tear,  it  would  be  at  taking  leave  forever 
of  that  sweet,  safe,  profitable  companion.  Repent- 
ance. 

There  is  less  danger  of  conviction  of  sin  being 
counterfeit  than  anything  else.  We  may  be  de- 
ceived when  a  child  tells  us  how  he  loves  the 
Saviour ;  the  child  may  err  in  thinking  its  emo- 
tions under  the  pathetic  representations  of  the 
Saviour's  appeals,  to  be  Christian  love.  But 
when  we  have  seen  a  child  rationally  convinced 
of  its  sinfulness  and  yet  weeping  with  gratitude 
with  a  sense  of  forgiveness,  seldom  have  we 
erred  in  believing  its  repentance  to  be  genuine. 
Repentance  is  the  sorrow  of  love.  If  we  confess 
our  sins,  pleading  the  satisfaction  which  Christ 
has  made  and  which  God  has  accepted,  and  then 
do  not  believe  that  we  are  forgiven,  we  are  pay- 
ing justice  twice  ;  and  that  is  unbelief.  Not  be- 
lieving, after  all  that  God  through  Christ  has 
done  for  us,  is  surely  wrong.  To  say  "  I  have 
not  repented  enough,"  shows  that  we  are  trying 
to  make  atonement  for  sin.     You  cannot  do  it ; 


272  THE  REMOVAL  OF 

even  eternal  misery  Avoiild  not  be  an  adequate 
satisfaction  for  sin,  for  it  is  not  the  sacrifice 
wliicli  divine  justice  Las  ap^^ointed.  The  Word 
made  flesli  is  the  sacrifice.  A  soul  that  pleads 
it,  need  not  say,  "  I  have  not  repented  enough." 
You  never  can  i*epent  enough  as  a  satisfaction' 
to  divine  justice,  for  repentance  is  not  an  atone- 
ment. It  is  a  great  mystery,  an  adorable  mys- 
ter}^,  it  never  ceases  to  amaze  the  mind  of  a  be- 
liever that  trusting  in  the  atonement  satisfies 
the  conscience  of  a  sinner  at  once,  and  he  cannot 
explain  why  it  is.  Dr.  Watts  has  expressed  the 
idea, 

Jesus,  my  Great  High  Priest, 

Offered  his  blood  and  died  ; 
My  guilty  conscience  seeks 
No  sacrifice  beside, 
flis  powerful  blood  did  once  atone, 
And  now  it  pleads  before  the  throne. 

Why  a  guilty  conscience  -which  has  found  the 
sacrifice  of  Christ,  is  at  once  quieted,  as  every 
believer' testifies,  is  a 'Question  which  no  doubt 
the  inquisitive  Israelites  might  have  asked  about 
the  brazen  serpent,  by  faith  in  which,  the  people 
were  restored.  Therefore  desist  at  once  from 
trying  to  "  feel  more,"  as  many  say ;  as  though 
that  could  atone  for  you.  Believe  this  :  If  you 
accept  the  atonement  of  Christ  as  a  free  gift,  you 


Israel's  cloud  from  the  rear.      273 

are  saved.  One  might  stake  his  own  personal 
hope  of  acceptance  with  God,  If  he. could,  on  the 
truth  of  this  decLaration,  tliat  every  one  who 
confesses  to  God  his  sinfuhiess  and  accepts  Je- 
sus Christ  as  his  substitute,  has  repented,  is  jus- 
tified, "shall  not  come  unto  condemnation,  but 
is  passed  from  death  unto  life." 

Therefore  you  may  look  behind  you  over  the 
whole  of  life,  and  see  the  pillar  of  cloud  moving 
over  all,  standing  behind  all,  shedding  its  beau- 
tiful radiance  over  all  3'our  history,  as  though  it 
were  saying,  "  Who  is  he  that  condemneth  ?  It  is 
Christ  that  died."  One  may  boldly  plead  for 
pardon  before  he  is  conscious  of  having  satisfied 
himself  with  sorrow  for  sin.  Sorrow  for  sin 
without  looking  at  Christ  is  self-righteousness. 

The  greatest  experience  in  Israel's  historj^, 
forever  mentioned  in  their  songs  of  thanksgiving, 
was  this  act  of  grace,  bestowed  upon  them  when 
they  were  unbelieving,  weak,  ready  to  despair, 
seemingly  on  the  brink  of  ruin :  —  wonderful 
sight !  the  angel  of  the  Lord  breaking  camp  and 
going  to  their  rear !  that  beautiful  meteor,  the 
guiding  cloud,  sailing  back  over  their  six  hun- 
dred thousand  fighting  men,  powerless  as  their 
infants,  while  Egypt  was  pouring  out  its  swarm- 
ing myriads  to  swallow  them  up.  So,  my  soul ! 
thy  sins  and  the  hosts  of  hell  are  ready  this  day 
to  destroy  thee ;   but  the  angel  of  the  covenant 


2-74  THE  EEMOYAL  OF 

has  not  forsaken  thee ;  faith  can  see  Him,  as 
plainly  as  Israel  beheld  Him  going  to  their  rear  to 
stand  between  them  and  danger ;  are  not  His 
promises  a  pillar  of  cloud  to  you,  and  do  they 
not  stand,  between  you  and  the  past,  saying, 
"  I,  even  T,  am  He  that  blottetli  out  thy  trans- 
gressions for  mine  own  sake,  and  will  not  remem- 
ber thy  sins  ?  " 

This  removal,  mentioned  in  the  text,  of  the 
angel  Jehovah  and  His  pavilion  of  cloud  from 
the  front  to  the  rear  of  Israel's  camp,  on  the  oc- 
casion of  their  going  out  of  Egypt,  is  peculiarly 
fitted  to  instruct  us  in  reviewing  the  past.  So 
it  instructed  Israel  going  out  of  Egypt  into  the 
untrodden  desert.  Good  people  in  Israel  must 
have  been  deeply  affected  to  see  that  wonderful 
meteor  which  had  led  their  way,  taking  its  posi- 
tion behind  tliem.  They  must  have  felt  safe,  as 
safe  as  omnipotence  could  make  them,  seeing 
that  fiery  sign  hanging  down  between  them  and 
Egypt.  No  dark  night  or  tempest  had  yet  been 
able  to  quench  or  even  eclipse  its  preternatural 
light.  Egypt  finds  it  as  dark  as  Israel  had  found 
it  luminous.  The  Israelites  were  baptized  unto 
Moses  by  this  evolution  of  the  cloud  and  by  his 
guidance  of  them  through  the  sea;  we  would  have 
been  willing  to  predict  their  confidence  in  him 
their  leader,  until  they  had  reached  the  Prom- 
ised Land.     And  as  for  God,  He,  by  one   act 


Israel's  cloud  to  the  reae.        275 

passing  from  front  to  rear  in  that  critical  hour,  the 
cloud  shedding  darkness  on  Pharoah,  and  light 
on  Israel,  the  waters  too,  standing  up  on  either 
side  of  tliem,  stretched  His  line  upon  them,  and 
His  hand  gave  the  sea  His  decree  that  the  waters 
should  not  pass  over. 

Of  all  that  host  that  came  out  of  Egypt  by 
Moses,  only  two  adults  reached  Canaan  ;  because 
they  believed  not  God,  but  forsook  the  counsel 
of  tlie  Most  Higli.  Therefore,  God  kept  the  na- 
tion wandering  forty  years  in  the  wilderness ; 
unbelief  postponed  the  settlement  of  Israel  in 
Canaan  for  a  whole  generation. 

Now  I  will  point  you  to  several  things  and  ask 
3^ou  a  question.  See  that  angel  who  is  destroy- 
ing all  the  first-born  of  man  and  beast  in  Egypt 
pausing  before  each  door*  where  the  liyssop 
branch  had  sprinkled  the  passover  blood,  leaving 
the  little  company  within  unharmed.  Take 
your  place  in  imagination  where  you  can  see  the 
hosts  of  Egypt  struggling  in  the  waters;  seethe 
light  thrown  forward  on  the  hindmost  of  Isi'ael's 
company  arriving  safe  ashore.  Now  as  you  join 
in  the  song  of  Moses  there,  or  follow  the  corn- 
pan}^  of  women  with  their  timbrels,  this  is  my 
question  ;  Are  you  not  willing  to  make  prophecy 
that  a  people  with  such  a  God  is  sure  be  a  na- 
tion of  believers?  For  still  look  on  :  Nation  af- 
ter nation  melts  away  before  them  ;  Jordan  emu- 


276  THE  EEMOVAL  OF 

lating  the  Red  sea,  and  the  people  passing  out  of 
its  dried  bed ;  from  which  twelve  stones  are 
taken,  for  an  altar  of  witnesses.  See  them  going 
round  a  great  city  in  silence  six  days ;  on  the 
seventh  day  blowing  rams'  horns,  and  without  a 
javelin  thrown,  those  walls  fall  as  by  an  earth- 
quake ;  a  great  city  is  made  defenceless  in  a 
moment.  Isi'ael  is  soon  in  possession,  not  only 
of  that  city  but  of  the  land  of  the  Canaanites, 
Ilittites,  Amorites,  Gerizzites,  Hivites  and  Jebu- 
sites.  O,  had  they  hearkened  to  the  voice  of 
God  and  walked  in  His  wa^^ ! 

We  cannot  conceive  of  the  national  greatness 
to  which  that  people  would  have  attained;  or  of 
the  progress  which  they  would  have  made  in 
the  arts  of  life,  discoveries,  inventions,  and  all 
that  can  ennoble  the  human  race.  Contemptuous 
word  of  inspiration,  "  their  carcasses  fell  in  the 
wilderness."  Carrj-ing  out  their  unbelief  they 
killed  the  Prince  of  life,  of  whom  they  were  the 
betrayers  and  murderers,  and  they  have  never 
repented  of  it ;  they  are  now  in  their  dis- 
persion a  standing  monnment  of  unbelief  and 
its  consequences.  God  lielp  us  to  do  contrary 
to  their  example.  We  are  worse  than  the}^  if 
we  are  unbelievers  in  Christian  congregations. 
Bulieve  God.  Believe  on  His  Son  whom  He  has 
sent.  Obey  His  gospel.  Keep  His  command- 
ments. 


ISRAELS  CLOUD  TO  THE  REAR.  277 

And  now,  Angel  of  that  covenant !  stand  we 
pra}^  you  over  against  the  past ;  cover  our  sins 
with  the  atoning  blood  ;  remind  us  of  past  mer- 
cies ;  be  a  shield  to  us  against  the  evil  conse- 
quences of  our  sins  and  of  our  follies ;  make  the 
way  behind  us  a  Red  Sea,  burying  unpleasant 
recollections,  fears,  transgressions ;  then  go  be- 
fore us  on  our  heavenward  way. 

Fin  all}',  Tliis  reanvard  angel  and  this  pillar  of 
cloud  seem  to  bid  me  to  say  to  believers^  It  shall 
he  well  with  you.  For  these  two  things  are  true 
concerning  all  who  believe  in  Jesus.  First,  You 
have  not  seen  your  best  days ;  and,  Secondl}^ 
You  never- will.  Never  through  eternity,  will 
you  arrive  at  that  summit  of  bliss  from  which 
you  will  anticipate  declension.  Onward  and  up- 
ward is  to  be  3'our  way.  "  Thou  wilt  sliow  me 
the  path  of  life  ;  in  Thy  presence  is  fulness  of 
joy ;  at  Thy  right  hand  are  pleasures  forever- 
more."  Such  is  the  prospect  of  all  who  repent 
and  believe. 

To  all  others  remaining  in  unbelief  it  is  equally 
true.  Firsts  You  have  not  seen  your  worst  days. 
No  angel  of  tlie  covenant  is  standing  beliind 
you ;  for  you  have  made  no  covenant  with  God. 
No  pillared  cloud  has  been  leading  you  ;  uncov- 
eiKinted  merc}^  liable  at  any  time  to  leave  j^ou, 
good  fortune,  luck,  chance,  is  your  only  security. 
Bitter  as  ^M^ur  [sufferings  may  have  been,  tliore 


278       THE  REMOVAL  OF  ISRAEL'S   CLOUD. 

are  greater  in  store  if  you  continue  without 
Clu'ist.  Great  as  your  losses  have  been,  3'Ou 
have  more  to  lose ;  bereavements  can  make  you 
still  more  desolate ;  enmities  more  excruciating 
are  laid  up  for  you  ;  your  Avay  is  into  a  Red  sea 
with  the  waters  standing  round  to  bury  3-ou;  and, 
Secondly^  As  you  have  not  yet  seen  your  worst 
days,  so,  remaining  without  Christ,  you  never 
will.  There  will  be  always  something  worse  to 
come.  Prevent  this  by  immediate  acceptance 
of  that  Gospel  which  you  have  heard  so  long  in 
vain. 

Now,  he  who  with  one  act  of  faith 

Shall  confidently  say, 
I  look  for  pardon  through  Thy  blood, 

Is  saved,  saved  now  ;  ahvay. 

"And  the  Spirit  and  the  Bride  say. 
Come.  And  let  him  that  heareth  say. 
Come.  And  let  him  that  is  athirst  Come. 
And  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the 
water  of  life  freely." 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 
LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 

Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


28Api5  8J2 

REC'U  LO 

APR  141958 

i 
1 

1 

General  Library 
LD  21A-50m-8,'57                                University  of  California 
(C8481sl0)476B                                               Berkeley 

YB  30993 


